The Prince and Me
by elloshort
Summary: What happens to a girl that is stolen from her village, forced to submit, and is a toy for the prince? Does she fall in love? SasuSaku
1. Memories

Hey everyone! This is my new story. It's gonna be filled with drama. Of course and it will get deep. At least in my opinion. Last, this story is gonna take place in the old days, but I might add some 21st century language in here. Why? Because I can and there is not a damn thing you can do about it. :P

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The Prince and Me

By: Chery D.

**I don't own Naruto**

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Chapter 1: Memories

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**Beta-d by:** BrokenHeartSaints

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She reflected on her past, while she sat on the soft black silk sheets. The guards secured all the exits. After a long struggle, she knew she had no other choice but to submit.

"_Remain strong…"_ is what she heard in her head. She cringed at her mother's voice._ "I wish you were still here." _is what she silently prayed

She heard the bedchamber's door open and there stood the cause of all her troubles. She couldn't help but think of that day. The day that brought her here to this hell on Earth.

* * *

It started out as a beautiful day in the Nano village just outside of the Kingdom of Konoha. The sun has risen and the parrots screeched. This sound would have been utterly annoying if you were awaken because of the noise, but that wasn't the case for Sakura. Today was her birthday. Her 16th one to be exact. She couldn't sleep at all during the night. Too many things were going on. She felt excited, nervous, and scared, all rolled up into one. Today was THE day.

She sat down in the ceremonial Kimono she was given. She was a graceful 5"10, milk colored, long pink haired, green eyed young lady. She out shone the rest of the ladies that were waiting in their kimono. Her kimono was pure white, with vines embroidered around the neck area, the arm area, and the bottom. The green was the same shade as her eyes. The sash around her waist was a pink that matched her hair.

They were all waiting to presented to the group of village noble men and warriors. For it was today, on her birthday, that the Paring Ceremony would be held. She was to be wedded later on in the year, but today the entire village will know whom her future husband will be. And today, one of the nobles or warriors will choose her to be their wife.

* * *

Yesterday, Fugaku got word that the Nano village will be holding the Paring ceremony. They would be too preoccupied in their preparations and they could catch them off guard. He will finally get the village without much effort…and maybe a "toy" for his son's birthday.

* * *

He was upset. No, pissed. He didn't want to be on this goddamn horse, in this goddamn heat, on his goddamn birthday. He was beyond pissed. He was merciless. He still didn't know why he had to come with his father (The king and famous strategist) on his conquest to capture the pathetic little village. "You'll need the experience." is what his father said. But the king said it with a humorous undertone, which made the prince know he was lying. _"He's up to something."_ he thought.

He carried a stoic expression on his face, which was so common that those who knew of the prince just thought it made him more handsome. To say handsome is an understatement. He was gorgeous. He was flawless. He was 6 ft exactly. Raven hair and eyes to match. Pale skin and a fit, muscular physic that wasn't too much.

The princesses, ladies, and other female nobles, wanted him to court them, but he gave no interest in any of them. "Mindless, pampered twits." is what he called them. He knew one day that he would have to produce an heir to the throne with someone, but he wanted to have a queen who had her own opinions. A strong-minded woman. A beauty. But most of all, someone who loved him for him, not because of his title.

"How can it be this hot when the sun is not even up yet!" he snapped. He was sweaty, hot, and needed some water (But, damn did he look good anyway). He didn't want to be here. "Go get some water for the prince" the king said to a soldier riding on the king's left. "And Sasuke my son, please stay quiet. We want to surprise the enemy, not deafen them." He said and laughed at his own joke.

Prince Sasuke's eye twitched out of annoyance. Only his father could make a joke just as they were going into battle. He could see the village now. There was a crowd of people around some sort of arena. The people were to wrapped up into what they were doing to even notice them. It was a perfect opportunity. It was time.

* * *

Sakura jumped when one of the village's elders called her name, so she can be presented. She got up gracefully, walked silently to the front of the stage and waited patiently until the elder finished speaking.

She saw the chief's youngest son, Thani, rise and proclaim, "I want her hand in marriage." She cringed when he said that. It wasn't that he was ugly. He was okay looking. It was that he was a bastard and had a nasty ass attitude. She simply couldn't understand how a 17-year old boy, could be such a jackass. She thought jackassyness came with age, but he proved her wrong.

What happened next was unbelievable. The chief's 19-year old son, Kamau, proclaim, "I too, want Sakura as my wife." She was shocked. Kamau never talked. I mean never. Why in the world would he start now? Everyone started murmuring and the brothers glared at one another. You could see the obvious disgust and contempt in both of their eyes.

She saw the elders crowd into a circle. She could hear bits and pieces of their conversation like, "He will be the chief soon. He will need a wife to bear the next heir." and, "But Thani asked first." She hated that everyone was looking at her and turned to where the elders gathered. She saw nods exchanged by the elders. The elder that has been speaking for the entire ceremony went up to the crowd and said "Sakura's paring will be settled later." That could only mean one thing. Sakura was gonna be fought for. That hasn't happened since her mother's paring ceremony. To be fought for, was one of the greatest honors. But, to be fought for by the two most powerful men after the chief, was the greatest honor for a woman. She inwardly smiled at this thought.

* * *

Sasuke just sighed at how easy it was going to be to capture the village. The Nano people were too preoccupied with what seemed as if a duel. The army general signaled, and it was time to go.

* * *

Sakura sat next to the village chief, with her mother and father on her left. She held her mother's hand tight. She was scared for the two boys… more specifically Kamau. He could get seriously hurt. Thani was a better nin-jutsu and taijutsu user, but Kamau was a brilliant strategist. The battle was going to be interesting… but she wished Kamau would… he wasn't as much as jackass as Thani.

The fight was going to begin, but the proctor of the match never even signaled. "Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu!" someone yelled. There was an ear-splitting scream and the proctor fell down face forward. There was a hole where his heart was. The women started gathering their children and running to safety. The men ran to the king's ninjas trying to fight with their mediocre jutsus. It wasn't as though the village produced horrible ninjas, it was that most of them drained their energy while celebrating earlier. The villagers were overpowered, preoccupied, and outnumbered. So they ran.

* * *

Sakura's father said his, "I love yous", and ran off to fight. After all, her was a ninja. Sakura's mother grabbed her daughter's hand they ran. They didn't care that they was getting dirty, but they ran… but weren't fast enough.

Sakura suddenly felt the hand in her hand suddenly grow limp. She stopped when she felt her mother's hand go limp. She turned around to see her mother's body on the floor and one of the king's ninja fastly approaching her.

"Mother!" she screamed through her tears. She bent down to hold onto her mother. "No, no, no! Please don't leave me. Please stay with me. I need you. Please don't go." She wailed through her tears. She felt strong arms grab her and pull her away from her dying mother.

"No! Let me go" she yelled ferociously. She was pissed off. She saw her mother move and face her and say, with what seemed as if her last breath, "Remain strong, my little blossom. I will always love you." she said, and Sakura watched as her mother died. The ninjas becoming frustrated with her fighting them back, they sent a wave of chakra through their fingers into her neck and she blacked out.

* * *

Sasuke watched as a ninja placed the last of the captured people into one of the cages. He had to admit to himself that today wasn't a complete waste of time. He got a good work out and it didn't take all day to capture the weaklings. He just wanted to get home and relax, but he knew that would never happen. His mother would have something at the palace waiting for him. He just hoped it wasn't a ball.

The party got to the kingdom around dusk. Fugaku ordered the slaves be put into the holding pen and ordered them to be sold off to the some of the hidden villages the next day. Sasuke just looked away and started to head to the palace so he could just soak in his bath. Just as he turned on his horse to set off, the king ordered him to wait.

He let out a frustrated groan. "What is it father!" he said a bit too angrily than he meant. He was frustrated and tired. His father would just have to deal with it. Even if he is the king.

"Now, now my son. Stay calm. I just wanted to give you your birthday present." his father said with a smile.

Sasuke cocked an eyebrow. "Give me a present. Here? In this filth?"

"Yes! Come, come." His father said with a devious smile and got off his horse and motioned for his son to follow. Sasuke knew he had to follow, so he got off his high horse and began walking while muttering a few choice words under his breath.

* * *

Sakura looked around where she was held captive. They had stripped her of her clothes and given her a filthy sack to cover her self. She ripped the sack into a design she was more comfortable in. It looked like a halter-top dress thing. It was tied around her neck, covered her chest, stomach, and down to mid thigh. It barely covered her buttocks region. She was pissed. No beyond pissed. _Merciless._

She had awoken an hour ago, to find herself in this holding pen. She looked around, to see only women. She could only recognize only a few. They were probably the ones who just surrendered without a fight or weren't fast enough to get away…like her. The image of her dying mother flashed into her head and she almost started to cry again, but remembered her mother's words and chocked own those tears. She wasn't gonna cry.

"_I will remain strong."_ she thought to herself, and then made her face into a stoic expression.

* * *

Sasuke followed his father as he led him to the holding pen where he kept the slaves to be sold off in the market. The king stopped in front a particular pen where he noticed that there were only female slaves. The king faced his son and said, "For your birthday, I will allow you to choose one of these slaves as a bedmate."

Sasuke cocked an eyebrow and gave his father a stupid look. _"Is he serious?" _he thought.

The king then added as though reading his son's mind, "And yes I'm serious. It's a tradition in our family for the males to get a bedmate on their 17th birthday. They are… practice."

The raven was speechless. He had this stupid dumb look on his face.

"Do I have to?" he asked.

"Of course! It's a right of passage. You didn't expect to get married as a virgin, did you?" his father proclaimed loudly.

He turned around to see the guards snickering, and gave them his famous death glare. They instantly stopped. He turned back to his father.

"I hate you sometimes." he said darkly.

"And you act like such a child sometimes. We are even." his father said with a triumphant smirk.

And with that he knew he was defeated. He turned his head towards the pen again.

"_Urgh, this is so wrong." _He scanned the pen looking at the various slaves. If he was going to have to choose, he didn't want a tanned one… that eliminated basically ¾ of the pen. His eyes stopped at a certain milk skinned slave. It wasn't her skin that intrigued him the most, but her eyes. They were the most memorizing green he had ever seen. She looked like she was deep in thought and had a stoic face. He knew if she actually smiled, she would look like a goddess.

He pointed to her and said, "Fine, I want her."

* * *

"Get your hands off of me, you bastard!" Sakura screamed at the top of her lungs, causing everyone in the pen to cover their ears. She felt a hard smack land on her cheek, and she cried out in pain.

Sasuke felt a tug in his chest and yelled to the guard, "Hey! Be careful. I don't like damaged goods." he said with an evil undertone.

Sakura just kept thinking of what this guy had the nerve to say. _"Goods! Since when did I become some sort of property?" _she was starting to get feisty.

She was going to say something, but a hand held her mouth. "Bow to your new master… the Prince Uchiha Sasuke." he ordered, while pushing her to the ground.

The guard let go of her mouth and she yelled with her fury, "I hope you choke and die!" The guard was going to slap her one more time, but was stopped by the prince himself.

"Like I said. I don't like damaged goods. Take her to my chambers." He smirked at his new "toy" liking her strong attitude, and left.

* * *

She reflected on her past, while she sat on the soft black silk sheets. The guards secured all the exits. After a long struggle, she knew she had no other choice but to submit.

"_Remain strong…"_ is what she heard in her head. She cringed at her mother's voice._ "I wish you were still here." _is what she silently prayed

She heard the bed chamber's door open and there stood the cause of all her troubles. Prince Sasuke.

He was dressed in the same yakata, that sort of matched the one she was forced to wear. It felt like some sort of cotton that was way more comfortable than the sack she was given. They bathed her and put all types of perfumes, oils, and lotions onto her skin and hair. She was to be "presentable" for the prince.

Sakura rubbed her wrists to soothe grooves from the chains that had held her captive.. They branded her with the royal seal to symbolize royal property. She was also smacked around when she tried to escape twice, but all the pain faded when she got bathed. She had to be strong, to get what she wanted. Her freedom...and dignity.

Prince Sasuke slowly walked to the bed and climbed on top of her. She was going to push the man off, but he gripped her wrists over her head, and started nibbling on her earlobes. He whispered the most shocking words ever.

"Now, now my pet. I'm…"

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	2. Turned On

_Beta-d by **IkiIki**_

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**Chapter 2: Turned On

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**

"Now now, my pet. I'm not going to hurt you, but I need you to scream." whispered the prince.

Sakura gave him a shocked look. _"What?" _she thought.

As though reading her mind, the prince continued. "My father wants me to practice on you, but I don't want to. Besides that, I need to put on a good show for the guards. They will report to my father tomorrow, so he can know if I'm actually using my birthday present. Got it?"

Sakura blinked at what she heard, but nodded her head. _"Hell. As long as I'm not being forced to sleep with this ass…" _she thought.

She let out a groan. Screamed. Then started moaning the prince's name. After good ten minutes of that, she stopped.

The prince, who was just waiting until she stopped, climbed back on top of her.

Confused, Sakura spoke, "You said you would-" but she let out a moan.

Sasuke was sucking on her neck. When he finished, he smirked at her and just said, "To make it look official."

He rolled off, got comfortable, and left a dumbstruck Sakura staring at his back.

* * *

She lay under the cherry tree, looking at the many clouds.

"_Why? Why did this have to happen to me?" _she thought while letting tears flow down her face.

* * *

Sasuke was heading towards the dojo in the back of the palace. He was mad and annoyed. He figured he could take out his stress on breaking things in the dojo. Not only did his mother throw him a ball last night, but he also had a visit from his cousin. Neji.

* * *

**Flashback**

_-------------_

_The prince walked into the palace to go relax, but was pulled by his best guy friend, Naruto, to a room nearby. Not that he cared that Naruto was there, but he really just wanted a bath._

"_Teme, happy birthday," said Naruto, with a lot of enthusiasm._

"_Thanks, dobe, but if that's it, I'd like to go now," Sasuke said as he started turning to leave, but he stopped when a hand landed on his shoulder._

"_Well, I came to give you this," he said, holding a small box that looked as if a four year-old had wrapped it in the dark._

_Sasuke cocked an eyebrow and took the present. He tore the wrapped paper away to reveal a small box that contained ten throwing needles. _

"_Thanks," he managed to say._

"_No problem, teme. Besides, they are special throwing needles. If you apply some chakra to them, the next thing they hit will cause them to explode."_

_After a long explanation about what-ifs and what-nots coming from the dobe, Sasuke was about to leave but was stopped yet again by the dobe. He lost his patience. _

"_What?!" he snapped._

"_I also wanted to warn you that your-" but he was interrupted by the queen's voice._

_Sasuke turned to face his mother, while Naruto bowed to show his respect. _

"_Naruto, dear. I didn't know you were here. How is the Earl and his wife?"_

"_Fine, heika. My parents are sorry they couldn't make it to the prince's ball, but they sent me here instead."_

_At that statement Sasuke's eyes widened. "A ball?! Mother, I told you I didn't want a ball," he said angrily._

"_Oh, Sasuke, sweetie," said his mother with a pout, "you need to be more social, and your friends, family and other nobles came a long way for you."_

"_Family? Don't tell me that-" but Sasuke didn't finish his sentence because that was when HE walked in._

"_Don't tell me that what, Sasuke?" said the lavender-eyed, milk-chocolate-haired, pale-skinned, 6 ft tall and equally muscular young man._

_Sasuke just glared._

_Neji just smirked and tossed Sasuke a present, which he easily caught. His mother left to get ready for the ball, but not without warning her son of the consequences of not showing up and giving him an extreme death glare. She was indeed Mikoto Uchiha, the inventor of the famous death glare._

"_Well, aren't you going to open it?" said Naruto, completely oblivious to the tension in the room._

_He glared at Naruto, but then opened the package to see a copy of "Icha-Icha Paradise: Yaoi Edition"._

_5…_

_4…_

_3…_

_2…_

_1…_

_Naruto burst out laughing, Neji smirked and Sasuke's Sharingan flared up._

_Yes, people tended to question his sexuality, but he would beat up everyone who did. He wasn't gay, but after years of constantly rejecting girl after girl, people started assuming that he flowed that way. Some guys were unlucky and tried to court him. Let's just say, they will never have children._

"_You're dead, Hyuuga!" yelled Sasuke as his Sharingan started spinning._

"_Byakugan!" yelled Neji._

_Naruto tried to restrain Sasuke from hurting anyone and that was when someone yelled, "Stop It!"_

_It was just then that everyone realized that Hinata was in the room. They blinked because they never heard Hinata yell. Hell, they could hardly hear her at all when she actually spoke, and for that reason she was the only Hyuuga Sasuke liked. _

_Sasuke got out from Naruto's grip, and walked past Neji, who gave him a smirk._

_---------------------_

**End of Flashback**

* * *

He was irritated. Naruto refused to spar with him due to a date he had with Lady Hinata, who lost her right to rule due to her genotype. She had three X chromosomes, which basically meant built-in birth control. Her and her sister's inability to produce a Hyuuga heir caused them to give up their birthright. Neji Hyuuga will become the next ruler of their kingdom.

When his family found out, it was about the same time his hate for the chocolate-haired boy began. He resented the fact that his friend would get to rule, but he wouldn't. He was… was… jealous. He hated the fact that he wouldn't be able to rule because he was second born. It wasn't fair that Neji, two seats down the line, got to rule, but him, the son of the King and Queen would never get that chance. He took out all his anger on Neji. He grew up to hate and detest the Hyuuga. He even began to hate whom he believed to be the cause of his troubles, Itachi, the rightful heir to the Uchiha dynasty… until that night.

* * *

**Flashback**

_-------------_

_Itachi walked into the dojo, to see his otouto punching the hell out of a wooden dummy. _

"_He must be mad," he concluded._

_He walked right in to ask his brother to a spar. Sasuke just grunted a "Hn" and Itachi took it as a yes. As both of them got into a fighting stance, he turned to see Fugaku walk in to watch the match. Sasuke stiffened as he realized that his father would be watching the fight. Itachi saw how his father gave Sasuke a look that could be easily translated as "prove yourself."_

_Itachi knew of the struggle that his little brother faced his father with. The king always saw him as a weakling and paid more attention to the older prince. That's what always pissed Itachi off. The king never saw Sasuke as his son, but as an incompetence. _

* * *

"_Sharingan!" they both yelled at the same time._

_Itachi threw two shuriken, while forming a few hand seals. Sasuke pulled out a kunai to block the shuriken and dodged the Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu. He blinked to find Itachi hitting him hard in the gut. He was sent into the air, but quickly regained his composure to throw a kunai at Itachi, who seemed to be forming more hand seals. He easily dodged the attack, only to see Sasuke smirk and form a few more seals._

_A boom came from behind Itachi, causing him to stop in order to dodge damage from the exploding note found on the kunai's handle. _

"_Shit!" Itachi screamed, as a splinter got into his eye preventing him from using his Sharingan. Sasuke took this opportunity to pull his finishing move. _

"_Katon: Ryuka no Jutsu!" he yelled, aiming his attack at the older prince. Itachi fell down backwards, to avoid serious damage. He tried to get up, but couldn't as he felt cold metal against his neck and another body on top of him. He was pinned to the ground by Sasuke, who was holding a kunai to his neck. Even though Itachi couldn't see his little brother, he knew that he was smirking. _

* * *

_Sasuke was walking around aimlessly for no reason at all. He stopped at a door when he heard Itachi and his father yelling at each other._

"_What do you mean you don't want to be king!" his father yelled angrily._

"_Father! I know I shouldn't be king. You know he's better for the job. Why can't you see that?! Why are you acting as though he isn't capable of it?! Why can't you see that he will be better than you will ever be?!" his brother yelled back._

_Sasuke couldn't help but gasp. He couldn't believe that his brother actually thought he would be a great king. He couldn't believe that his brother actually renounced his title. _

_He stumbled backwards when the door opened. He saw his brother walk out, smirk, and simply say, "You deserve it."_

_---------------------_

* * *

A week later, there was a huge meeting to inform the entire kingdom that Itachi officially renounced his title and Sasuke was the heir to the throne. His father started acting nicer to him since then. He was grateful that Itachi actually gave him what he always wanted, but still resented the fact that Itachi liked to bug the hell out of him.

Anyways, back to Sasuke walking.

He stopped abruptly when he got to the window that showed the royal garden. There, he saw his "toy" crying.

Sakura was mad at herself. She wanted to stay strong but she couldn't. She let herself down by crying. She let herself down even more when she realized she was crying in front of the prince.

* * *

Sasuke didn't know why he was there. He didn't even know why he even cared about what this slave felt like. But before he knew consciously what he was doing, his subconscious betrayed him when it walked him over to the "toy" and made him say,

"What's wrong?"

Sakura stopped crying when she heard the prince ask her the question.

"Why do you care, bastard!" she yelled.

Sasuke glared at Sakura, but was intrigued with the fact that she wasn't swooning all over him. He grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her close to him.

"When I ask you a question, Pinky, you better answer me," he hissed.

"_Pinky?" _she thought. _"Oh no the hell he didn't!"_

That did it for Sakura. She went into her furious mode.

"What the hell! I'm not your fucking toy! I'm not a Fucking toy! I don't give a damn about who the hell you are or who you think you are! You can go to hell for all I care! My name is Ha-ru-no Sa-ku-ra, not your damn slave! And I won't answer to a dictatorial, supercilious, truculent, asshole like you!" She yelled and then took a breath in.

Sasuke almost dropped his jaw. Almost. He was speechless. Someone actually talked back to him! What made it worse was that it was his "toy" that actually dared to talk back to him. No one, and he means NO ONE, has ever talked back to him, nonetheless yelled at him.

But there he was, getting put down by his property… I mean Ha-ru-no Sa-ku-ra. It made him want her. In a weird way, it sort of turned him on. He didn't know what made him do it, but he kissed her. And no, people. This wasn't just a simple chaste kiss, this kiss was intense and mind-blowing.

Sakura struggled to get out of it, but then, she just gave in to the kiss. Her hands unconsciously went around his neck to deepen the kiss, while his snaked around her petite waist. She moaned, which gave Sasuke an opportunity to slick his tongue inside her mouth. He explored her warm cavern with his tongue, trying to memorize the taste in her mouth. Surprisingly, it tasted like green apples.

"Ahem."

Sasuke and Sakura broke apart when they heard that voice. Sakura blushed deep red while Sasuke glared at the girl standing nearby. Not knowing if to stay or go, she chose the latter. She ran off to an unknown destination without an explanation, leaving Sasuke with the unknown girl.

* * *

"I've never seen someone kiss their slave like that before. Are you falling for her, big brother?"

Sasuke glared at the girl but gave up knowing that glaring was futile to her.

"I don't know, Tamiko" he confessed.

* * *


	3. Tamiko

* * *

**Important Note:**

When the writing is like this, then it's normal Japenese and narration.

When the writing is like this, the characters are talking in English.

* * *

**Beta:** IkiIki

* * *

Chapter 3: Tamiko

* * *

The siblings walked to their destination in silence. They weren't actually related by blood but the Uchihas adopted her. The act really surprised the entire kingdom. The cold-hearted family actually found it in their hearts to take in a child. OH HELL NO! That's so not like them. Charity? Please. Blackmail? That's more like it. It all happened about three years ago.

* * *

**Flashback **

**-----------**

_The Uchiha family was sailing to The Land of Earth. They'__ve__ just heard that the legendary oracle was residing there in the royal palace. She was nomadic, so this was a one-time-only chance and __she__ constantly had suitors trying to court her so they could have her powers. That's exactly what the Uchihas were going to have their son, Sasuke, do. To have the world's greatest power at their disposal was certainly appealing… except to Sasuke. He didn't care for the girl, even if she was the most powerful living human. He only agreed because his father said it would improve the clan, and his word was final. But still, he was only 14 trying to court an 11-year old. He thought he was too young to be forced to get engaged, even though they would wait till he was 18 to actually wed them together. But being royal came with sacrifices, as his mother put it. _

* * *

_They reached the Land Of Earth around mid-afternoon. Sasuke, __Faguka, Mikoto and Itachi got into a carriage, while their personal ninja walked. They reached the palace and greeted the royals. They were shocked to find out that the king was so… so… obese. To say obese was an understatement. He was a very round man, with stubby legs, 4 chins and no neck. It took all of Sasuke's self-control to not laugh when the Earth king tried to bow. Keyword being tried. He looked so stupid. All that happened was a little crease in the center of his robe. He knew if Naruto were here, he would have laughed very loudly and very long at the sight. He was way out of shape, more than likely had no ninja training and ran out of breath walking from the front of the palace to the boardroom. He was pitiful._

_"Faguka. I hope your journey was smooth," said Manoru, the __king of the __Land of Earth._

_"It was smooth enough," __he answered__. "When will my son be able to meet the oracle?" _

_"Well, I don't know," said Manoru._

_The Uchiha king's eye twitched slightly, but then he asked, "Have you seen her powers? Are they really as strong as __the__ legend says?"_

_"W-well I-I haven't actually s-seen them," the Earth king said in almost a whisper._

_Faguka's sharingan flared._

_"You mean to tell me I traveled all this way and you have know idea if the girl is the real oracle?" he said with a deadly undertone._

_"NO!" shrieked the pathetic king, but quickly changed the sound of his voice to a more manly tone._

_"I mean no. She is indeed the oracle. She looks different."_

_"You know that she's the oracle just because she looks different? Then let me see her. When will my son be able to meet her?" he asked, while his sharingan stopped spinning but was still activated._

_"W-well, I d-don't exactly know. She doesn't listen to me. She only sleeps here for the time being." He answered pathetically._

_Sasuke's father glared at the king then asked, "You mean you let yourself be controlled around by a mere child, which could be a common whore. That is pathetic."_

_After Faguka said that, he got up to start walking to the room he was __supposed__ to stay at during the trip. His family __followed suit__ without saying a word. They didn't want to anger the Uchiha king, so they remained silent. _

* * *

_Sasuke sat there with a stoic face. His brother and father were discussing plans on how to capture the Earth kingdom. Seeing that they weren't a shinobi village, it would be easy __to__conquer__ the place. They abandoned the hopes of trying to court the oracle, for they didn't even know if she was the real deal. So while __they__ were __there__, they might as well conquer it. Even though the Earth kingdom had no ninja, they still had a hell of a lot of connections. They had very abundant soil, and grew the best crops in the world. They were wealthy and could easily purchase the services of all the Hidden Mist ninjas. But it would take good 2 hours until they could get here. That was more than enough time._

_"You all really shouldn't try to capture this place," said a feminine voice._

_The Uchihas tried to find the owner of the voice, but saw that she was speaking through a vent. Then Faguka spoke._

_"You know, little girl, you really shouldn't eavesdrop on private conversations," his father said while motioning to Kakashi, their personal body guard/ Sasuke's teacher to annihilate her._

_"And do you know, old man, that you shouldn't try to take over the country of a host that has shown you excellent hospitality?" she replied coolly._

_"And do you know, little girl, that being nosy could get you killed?" his father said with a deadly undertone._

_"Oh, I don't think-" but she stopped. There was a long silence. Then Kakashi poofed into the room, almost causing Sasuke to shriek. Almost._

_"Did you get rid of the problem?" Itachi asked._

_"Well, about that. I didn't lay a hand on her." Kakashi replied, while scratching the back of his head._

_"What do you mean! I told you to get rid of-" but was cut off when an __unusual__ little girl appeared in the room, surrounded by bubbles. (Just like how Kakashi and Sasuke arrived to the __Chuunin__ Exams, but with bubbles.)_

_She had unusual dark skin. Caramel colored, to be exact. Short dark brown hair that reached the middle of her neck. Dark brown eyes. And __she__ looked about 4"11 with a little pudge in the middle of her stomach. She looked __completely__ different __than__ anyone he had ever seen, but was pretty and cute in her own unique way. She must be the oracle._

_Kakashi broke the silence._

_"Well, you see. She was the oracle. _Tamiko_-dono to be exact," he said in a humorous undertone._

_"You know, you shouldn't call a little girl a whore. That's just mean. What's even worse, is that you wanted to kill me, correct?" she asked, even though they knew of the answer already._

_They sat in an awkward silence, while she stood there looking at them with wide eyes. The Uchihas were glaring at her. __Then, she__ spoke._

_"Mikoto, go get me a sandwich." This got Faguka's blood boiling._

_"How dare you order my wife around! __You're__ lucky I don't kill you right now!" he yelled._

Tamiko_ gave him this stupid look on her face. Then said, "Are you really sure that you could actually back that threat __up__?"_

_Damn! The entire room was looking at the Uchiha King for his next move. This was one hell of a show. The __Almighty__ Uchiha king getting put down by a little girl. That was one hell of a sight to see._

_"Itachi! Get her, bound her, and gag her!" he yelled._

_Itachi rolled his eyes and sighed. This was gonna be awkward. A 20-year old grabbing a little girl. Not the best situation you want to get yourself into. Anyways, back to the story._

_Itachi tried to grab the girl __using his speed__. Keyword being tried. She was standing were he used to be._

_"H-how?" he stuttered. This was the first time Sasuke ever heard his aniki stutter._

_"How can you be faster than me!" he yelled. Everyone wanted to know. NO ONE was faster than Itachi, but here is this little girl making him look as slow as a snail. Her eyes were glowing a bright green color than died down._

_"I'm the oracle. When I activate my sight, I can easily see into the future when I'm in danger. I can see exactly what you're going to do, before you actually do it. And like I said, Mikoto, I want a sandwich. Two slices of turkey, one slice of ham and mozzarella cheese. Honey mustard, lettuce, a slice of tomato on some lightly toasted sliced white bread. Oh! And make me some lemonade." she said while looking at the baffled Konoha queen._

_"And Itachi, Kakashi and Sasuke, please leave." she said with a smile._

_They hesitated, but were reassured when she suddenly changed from bright and perky, to an ice-cold death glare._

_They left their father/husband/king in the room with the unique little girl. While all __of__ them started wondering at the same time,_

_"How does she know my name?" _

* * *

_The two walked out about 20 minutes afterward, with her smiling in her orange kimono, and him scowling._

_He faced his family, __that were__ patiently waiting outside the room, pacing, and announced,_

_"Meet the newest member of the family. Uchiha _Tamiko_-hime."_

_This time Sasuke actually dropped his jaw. How in the world did she actually make him adopt her? He couldn't even get his father to buy him a set of kunai, without having to master numerous jutsus. But here, this girl, __only__ 20 minutes __later__, is now the new princess of Konoha. She must have blackmailed him. There is no way his father would have agreed unless he was being absolutely forced to._

**-------------------**

**End Of Flashback **

* * *

So that's how Tamiko became an Uchiha. She is a great annalist and strategist, only to be rivaled by Shikamaru. She can easily tell how Sasuke feels and what he just did by looking at how he looks and where they are. It annoys him to death when she does this, but he still loves her anyway. She and Sasuke got really close in the three years, making her his best girl friend. She barely uses her powers because she is the laziest person he ever met. But then again, it didn't matter if she was lazy, everything was taken care of due to the fact she was a princess. Her biggest secret is how she got the king of Konoha to adopt her, but she won't tell.

Anyways, they finally got to their destination. Her bedroom. It had pale orange walls, bed sheets, pillows and curtains. Everything else was white and neat. They laid down on her gigantic bed, head to head. They could easily fit on the bed that was at least double the size of a normal queen-size bed, specially customized for her. A gift from their father.

She decided they needed some privacy and started speaking in this weird language called English. She taught it to Sasuke over the years.

"So how does she make you feel, Sasu?" she said while giggling.

He twitched at the nickname, but answered anyway, "I told you. I don't know. When she was crying earlier, I was actually concerned. When a guard slapped her, I felt a tug in my chest. It's sort of like how I feel about you, but it's not quite the same. It's deeper. She's beautiful, but won't smile for me. I usually have girls all over me, but she's not like them. Did you know she told me that I'm a bastard and to choke and die?"

"We all know you're not a bastard." She said being facetious.

"How could she think I'm a bastard? I didn't do anything to her," he asked, ignoring her completely.

"Well… you're arrogant, cocky, act like a jackass at times. You're cruel, easily pissed off, like to give people death glares until they pee in their pants. You always say 'Hn', like that's even a real wor-"

"I get it! Now tell me what's wrong with me." He said.

"Well… I could tell you, but only if you get me my sandwich before I leave my room." She said. Even though Sasuke couldn't see her, he knew she was smirking.

"You know that's not fair. You know that you're faster than me, and the kitchen is on the other side of the palace."

"And you know my advice doesn't come free. This is your problem, Sasu."

He got up to leave, but not without saying, "Bitch."

"I wonder what Itachi will do when he hears this?" she said.

He turned around quickly.

"You wouldn't," he said, glaring at his sister.

"Call me a bitch one more time," she said, giving another glare.

He turned around to leave with a scowl and said, "You suck sometimes."

"But you still love me anyways." And with that he was out of the room going to his room. He had enough of the blackmailing princess for now.

* * *

She didn't want to admit it but,

"Damn it. I'm lost."

"Do you need some help?" said a mysterious voice.

Sakura whipped her head around to see a white eyed boy. She blushed faintly at the sight of him. She couldn't lie. The teenager was handsome.

"Umm… well… yeah," she said, while letting her gaze fall to the floor.

"Maybe I could help you find your way…"

"Sakura. Haruno Sakura," she said while bowing a little.

"Why, Sakura-chan, let me escort you back to…"

"Prince Sasuke's room," she said while blushing madly.

It was then that Neji noticed the royal seal branded on her arm. Sakura must have seen the white-eyed boy looking at her arm, because she quickly covered it. Neji then spoke.

"So you must be my cousin's present. He's one lucky bastard," he said with a smirk.

Sakura blushed even deeper (if that was possible).

"_Is he flirting with me?" _she thought.

Neji then walked up to her and held out his arm.

"Well?" he said.

"Oh," she said, and took his arm, and they began walking.

* * *

It took about thirty minutes to get near Sasuke's room. She found out why she got lost. She was supposed to take a left at the staircase, but she went right. She also found out that the palace was symmetrical. Everything on the left side was identical to the right, except that the left had a dojo, while the right had a clinic.

The two were talking, unaware of a pair of eyes on them. Then once they got to the top of the staircase they stopped and Neji gave her the rest of the directions and an excuse saying he was late for a meeting. And with that, he poofed out.

"Prince Neji, eh?"

Sakura whipped her head around to see the same dark skinned girl, who interrupted her kiss with Sasuke earlier. Even though the girl was obviously younger than her, the look in her eyes made Sakura bow to her. She was…intimidated?

"There is no need to bow to me. What's your name?" said the intimidating looking girl.

"Sakura. Haruno Sakura," she said while almost bowing then stopped herself.

"Hi! My name is Tamiko." she said. Then, she continued.

"I don't think it is wise to hang around the Hyuuga. Sasuke will be angry with you." She said in a monotype voice.

"I don't want to be rude, but I don't give a damn if that bastard gets mad. He can't tell me what to do."

"You are mistaken. He **can** actually tell you what to do. You are his slave," Tamiko replied.

"I'm not a slave. I won't answer to anyone I despise," she yelled back.

"But that kiss earlier tells me otherwise. You seemed to have… enjoyed it," she said with a smirk. At this, Sakura blushed, and Tamiko continued.

"Anyways, I need you to come with me. You need to go to the clinic."

Sakura was puzzled. "W-why?"

"We have to put you on birth control before you and Sasuke actually do have sex," she said casually.

Sakura blushed. "H-how did you know we didn't… do anything?" she said to the younger girl.

"Please. Anyone with a mind could see that you're still a virgin. First of all, your pairing ceremony was yesterday, making you a virgin and it would have been your first time. Ten minutes of sex would have left you with a sore back or a limp. You have neither of the two. You walk perfectly fine. Last, that hickey on your neck," Sakura unconsciously moved her hand to her neck to hide the hickey. "is too clean. Like it was made as if you two had all the time in the world. If you two were caught up in the moment, Sasuke would have been sloppy. It would have not been a perfect circle. You, Sakura, are still untouched," Tamiko concluded and turned on her heel to go to the clinic.

Sakura stood there with her mouth open. She had just been analyzed by a younger teenager, to a T. She was baffled. How was the thing on her mind.

"_How did she do that?" _she thought.

"Hurry up!" Tamiko called, bringing Sakura out of her state of shock.

"Hai!" she squeaked, causing Tamiko to giggle.

* * *

"Now this is going to hurt just a little bit," said Tsunade, the palace's personal medic-nin. She looked as if she was 25 or so, but Tamiko informed Sakura that she was under a permanent transformation jutsu. The lady was actually 50 years old out. Hmm…interesting.

Tsunade-sama was holding this very painful looking syringe.

"_Hurt just a little, my ass."_ She thought while looking at the syringe in front of her. It had a two inch needle.

"Do I really need to get the shot? It's not like I'm going to sleep with the bastard anyway," she said, while looking at the lady in front of her.

Tsunade looked at her as though she was an idiot.

"It's a requirement for all personal slaves. You can't become pregnant with an heir to the throne. And besides, this is the only time you'll get the shot anyway," she said, while advancing towards Sakura.

* * *

Sasuke was laying on his bed when the cherry blossom walked into the room. He quickly straightened up. She was rubbing her shoulder while muttering curses under her breath.

"What's wrong?" asked the raven, while looking at the pink-headed girl.

"_Damn. I can't believe I actually asked that again," _he thought.

She cocked an eyebrow, while he returned one in response.

She sighed and said, "I had to get this stupid shot. It hurt like hell. I'm just rubbing my shoulder to get the numbness to ware off."

"Why would you need a shot?" he asked, with a hint of concern in his voice.

"Birth control," she said without thinking. When she realized how she said it so bluntly, she blushed.

Awk-ward.

To break the awkward silence that had been presented for the past few minutes, Sakura asked the Uchiha prince the question that had been haunting her thoughts for the past day.

"Umm… Sasuke?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I ask you something?"

He pondered it for a few seconds, and then answered with a yes.

"For a prince or any man or teenager, they would have been excited to have received a bedmate. They would have raped their slave on the first night, right?" she said.

"Yes. And?" he said, while cocking an eyebrow.

"So why didn't you use me? Not that I mind… it's just—", she stopped to inhale, "why?". The question was bugging her for hours on end. She wanted to know.

Before he registered consciously what he was saying, his subconscious betrayed him yet again.

"Because I know how it feels to be raped."

* * *


	4. Friends?

_  
__

* * *

_

Chapter 4: Friends?

* * *

**Beta-d by:** IkiIki

* * *

Sakura's eyes grew big. "Nani?" she asked.

Sasuke turned his head after he realized what he had just said. "Nothing! Just forget what I said."

But Sakura didn't leave it alone. She walked up to Sasuke and made him turn to face her.

"No, tell me. I thought your father said you were a virgin."

"Can I trust you?" the raven asked with a glare as if trying to find the answer written on her face.

She was taken back by the question, but regained her composure to answer with a nod.

"And you won't tell anyone?" he asked, as if challenging her previous answer. But she shook her head with a violent yes.

Why did he trust this girl? A slave, to be exact, and one he knew for a day. He had no idea. He felt compelled to put his trust into this cherry blossom for some unknown reason. He knew that the slave would not betray him. But if she did…

The Uchiha heir got up to the door and locked it. He did a few hand seals and whispered a silencing jutsu. He didn't want anyone outside the walls hearing of this. Sakura sat on the bed, while Sasuke sat on the floor with his back against the side of the bed. Then he started speaking.

"First, to answer your previous question. I would never bed an unwilling woman, especially slaves that I've know for only a few hours. For all I know, you could have some sort of disease."

This sort of offended Sakura but she kept her mouth closed.

"Next, I know how it feels to be forced to submit. This happened when I was about eleven. My father doesn't know. That's why he assumed I was a virgin. He doesn't know his best friend was the one to steal my innocence. The only ones who know are the people who were there, Naruto and my sister. It happened when my brother and I were sent to Sound for some special training, requested by my father. He wanted us to be the strongest we could be. The legendary ninja was my father's debt and was going to pay him back by teaching his children some of the thousands of jutsus he had perfected. We were learning some new jutsus that Orochimaru created. Summoning snakes, resurrecting the dead, a chidori current. He offered to help me privately with some of the jutsus because I was having a hard time getting them. My aniki was too busy perfecting everything, so he couldn't help me. So I accepted the help of the snake-like pedophile. It was on the sixth session that made me detest the man."

* * *

**Flashback**

**-----------**

"_Orochimaru-sama?" said an eleven-year-old Sasuke, as he entered the private study room of his host._

"_Sssasuke. I've been exssspecting you," the older nin hissed._

_The glint in the man's eyes sent a chill down Sasuke's spine. It was filled with hunger. Basically, it creeped out the young prince. _

"_Y-you said to m-meet you here so you can h-help m-me," he stuttered. Face it. He was scared. He had never seen that particular look in the man's eyes. He looked around to see that they were the only two in the room. Orochimaru usually had his toy — I mean, "assistant" — Kabuto there with him. This was the first time he was actually left alone with the man. What made it even worse and what added to the terror of the young boy was that the man kept advancing, while Sasuke kept backing up until he hit the door. He fumbled with the doorknob but within a blink, the snake-like man had crushed the boy to the wall, while looking down._

_Sasuke tried to scream but couldn't because Orochimaru-sama was choking him. While trying to breath some air in, he saw the snake man whip out a kunai. It looked as though he was about to die. He started kicking and punching. He didn't even care if the attempt was more than likely futile but he kept going._

_Frustrated with the little boy's antics, Orochimaru brought his knee up to stop the kicking and brought the hand that was around the young prince's neck to hold his wrists above his head. Sasuke took this opportunity to scream. It stung his throat but he screamed and screamed, until a hand connected with his face. All of his breath got knocked out of him. He started coughing and wheezing._

"_If you don't shut up, I really will kill you," said Orochimaru._

_Sasuke looked at the man while trembling. Orochimaru took the kunai and held it out again. Sasuke stiffened when it touched him. He closed his eyes waiting for the pain, but all that came was the sound of tearing fabric._

_He opened his eyes to see that the man was cutting through his pants. Sasuke started hyperventilating. He was petrified. He was then thrown across the room and landed painfully on the couch. Sasuke was already too weak and knew that even if he did try it would be of no use… but still, it hurt like crazy._

_Orochimaru was soon on top of him pulling and throwing the fabric off the terrified prince._

"_Please. Help!" was the prince's silent plea._

"_Suck." said the snake-like man. _

_Sasuke wasn't given the opportunity to say no, because three fingers were jammed into his mouth. He could have gagged when those fingers were in his mouth._

"_This is so it won't hurt you as much," said a suddenly panting Orochimaru._

"_So it won't hurt as much! What in the world?! Look at me!" he thought with wide eyes._

"_Fine. If that'sss how you want it." _

_Orochimaru took his fingers out, and shoved his index finger into the small boy's entrance. He couldn't scream at the uncomfortableness and the pain that nasty finger had him in. His throat was burning and he had lost his voice. No tears fell on his face, for his tear glands decided they were fed up._

_A second finger made its presence know in Sasuke's anal canal and started making a scissoring motion. Not long after that, the final finger pushed its way through. By then, Sasuke could no longer feel the pain. Orochimaru was hitting the boy's prostate. It would have sent any other man into ecstasy, but all Sasuke could feel was numbness. He was getting weaker._

_The fingers were out, and Orochimaru pulled his pants to his knees. His penis was erected and already leaking of pre-cum. Sasuke was already in a half-conscious state. It wouldn't take long until he passed out. The ghostly white man was about to enter Sasuke. He couldn't feel the intrusion, but knew he was about to lose his virginity. It was then that the young boy finally passed out. _

* * *

_Sasuke woke up to find himself at the Uchiha's palace's private clinic, when he woke up. He saw white. He tried to get up, but found out his entire body was either numb or in pain. He turned his head, even though it was painful, to see a pair of gloomy blue eyes._

"_N-naruto?" Sasuke asked, even though it was killing him to be talking. His throat was screaming for water._

"_Sasuke?!" said the young blond, as he glomped the raven prince that was still in his bed._

"_H-how long have I been here?"_

"_Since the fire," answered the blond. Seeing the confusion on the prince's face, he continued._

"_When I was visiting you on my way to Wave country, maybe beat you in a spar to see who has the better teacher – My Sannin or yours – I ran into Itachi with you in his arms. He told me to take you to my parents and that they would know what to do. I asked him where he was going but all he said was he was going to finish some business. But then I asked him why you looked all beat up and why you had no pants on. He told me that Orochimaru did something "unforgivable". It took me a while but I finally got it. You know, you're really heavy," but stopped there when Sasuke gave him a look._

"_Well, there was a huge fire at the Sound castle. Everyone perished in the fire. They don't know how the fire started, but I know it was your brother, because he told me the Sannin had paid for his actions. You've been here for about two days."_

_Sasuke was somewhat relived about hearing the snake was dead, but somewhat disappointed that he didn't get his revenge. But for now, it was all over._

_---------------------_

**End of Flashback**

* * *

"My parents never found out, but just assumed that I was attacked by some rouge-nin. Tch. They didn't even care," he said darkly.

Sakura frowned at this.

"Did they really not care?" she asked.

"My father told me that was what I got for being weak and that my time at Sound was a waste of time. My mother came and checked on me throughout the week to comfort me, if you want to put it that way. So maybe it was just that my father didn't care. My brother was praised by my father for being able to kick the ninjas' ass. He never told them what really happened. But I'm glad he didn't." Sasuke said.

"So, what happened to Orochimaru?" asked Sakura, who had gotten down and was sitting beside him.

"I suppose he's dead. I mean, Itachi said Orochimaru had paid and he himself had left before the fire took him out, leaving Orochimaru there," he replied.

Sakura was shocked. She thought she had it bad, being forced as a slave and everything she had ever held dear being destroyed. Yeah, it was way horrible, but still. She might have gone insane.

"So is that why you're the way you are now?" Sakura asked

Sasuke cocked an eyebrow.

"Like what?"

"Always seeking approval from your father. At the slave pen, you didn't seem like you wanted a slave, but only until the king said something, that was when you agreed," she explained.

After a long silence, he finally responded.

"I don't know," he answered honestly.

"For an arrogant bastard, you really don't have a lot of answers," she said teasingly.

Sasuke didn't find it funny and gave his "toy" a glare.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"Don't worry about it," he answered back.

There was an awkward silence, and it was then that Sakura realized the sun was setting.

"Thank you," Sakura said, breaking the silence.

Sasuke turned to her with a confused look on his face.

"For what?"

"For trusting me," she said and gave the raven a hug.

He stiffened at the contact, but then gave in.

"No," he said quietly. "Thank you."

Sakura giggled slightly and pulled away.

"You're welcome," she said, as she stared at him with a smile.

Sasuke thought she looked absolutely beautiful when she smiled. But then, how the setting sun's light bounced on her face, making it glow orange-like, went perfectly with her pink hair. She was absolutely remarkable. He smiled. He smiled his first true smile at her. His angel.

* * *

A knock at the door interrupted them from their moment. Sasuke glared at the door and yelled out a "What?!". Then he realized the silencing jutsu was still in place and trudged to the door. He opened it to see a small servant girl. No older than 10. She looked scared. No one could blame her. Sasuke was glaring at her with his Sharingan flared. He realized what he was doing and returned his eyes back to black.

"Yes?" he said as gently as he could. (Tch. Gently? LOL!)

"W-would you like you're slave b-bathed, heika?" asked the little girl.

Sakura blushed and stiffened at the question.

"No," he answered.

"Would you like her to stay here or should she stay at the slave quarters?" she asked.

Again, Sakura blushed and Sasuke answered.

"She will be staying here. You can leave now," he replied.

"Y-yes, heika." And with that, she was off.

The raven closed the door and turned around to see Sakura red-faced.

"Sorry about that," he said sincerely.

"Don't worry about it. I am a slave after all," she said calmly.

Sasuke frowned.

"Why do you accept that you're a slave? You don't seem like the type to give up so easily," he asked, while starting to get ready for bed.

"Well… The army killed my family, and destroyed my village. My best friend, Ino, was with her betrothed Choji at the time. So I have no idea where she is or if she's even alive. Everything and everyone I held dear is gone. And to top it, all off it was on my birthday."

Sasuke cringed at the part of birthday. For it was his birthday too and she was the present, but he was her birthday nightmare.

Sakura kept on going.

"So with everything gone my life was already in its living hell, I can do nothing but accept that I am a slave." She said calmly.

"I'm sorry."

"There's nothing you can do. So don't be sorry. I have to accept this fact," she replied back.

Sasuke stayed silent. He didn't know what to say.

Sasuke was in his pajamas while Sakura was in a long shirt that Sasuke had given her.

"Well you can sleep in the bed and I'll take the sofa." He said looking at her. It was then that he realized the lack of clothing she was wearing.

"Oh, how noble of you, heika. But it is your bed so you can just sleep with me," she said and turned around to climb into the bed.

"_The Uchiha symbol looks good on her," _he thought, as he watched her back lie down and face away from him.

He followed suit with his back against hers.

"Sasuke?"

"Hn."

"What are we?"

"…"

"How about friends?"

"…"

"Sasuke?"

"…Yeah… friends," he replied.

_"What the hell is wrong with me? The Uchiha symbol looks good on her. She's a slave. She's…she's… my friend?"_ he thought as sleep slowly took over.

* * *

Sakura woke up with Sasuke about to leave.

"Where are you going?" asked Sakura.

"I have training with my sensei and a spar with Naruto. If you want, go to the slave quarters and they will give you a job, so you have something to do."

"Oh. Okay."

Sasuke turned to leave and Sakura called out a bye, while he said goodbye in return.

"Well, Sakura, let's go get a job," she said to herself.

* * *

She hated to admit it but,

"Damn it. I'm lost."

"Hi," said a voice.

Sakura jumped and squeaked. She turned to see Tamiko, in this weird white getup.

"Oh, hi, Tamiko-san."

"Hi, Sakura. What are you looking for?" she asked.

"I'm looking for the slave quarters. I need a job," she said.

"What was your last name again?" she asked.

"Haruno. Why?" asked Sakura.

"Haruno, Haruno, Haruno. I know I've heard that named before. I got it. Was your mother or someone Hikaru Haruno, by any chance?" she asked.

"Yes. Why?" asked Sakura, confused.

"Wasn't your mother a great medicine woman? Didn't she invent over 50 different medicines involving the cherry blossom? She was one of the only level 10 medics to ever live," she said excitedly.

Sakura never knew her mother was that great. Yes, she was a great doctor in her village. But a level 10 medic? That was news. She hardly heard what Tamiko said and she flicked her. And boy did it hurt. It made her fall back.

_"What the hell?"_ she thought.

"Huh?" she said out loud.

"You weren't listening, were you?" said a pissed off looking Tamiko.

"Sorry. No." Sakura answered honestly.

"I asked you if you knew anything about your mother's works and wanted a job as a medic," said Tamiko.

Sakura eyes widened.

"_A medic?" _she thought.

"Sorry. I don't know anything about medicine. I was going to start my training after I got married," she answered.

"Oh. Well, why don't you start now? You do need a job. I know Tsunade-sama wouldn't mind," said Tamiko.

"Okay," Sakura said with a smile.

They walked heading towards the clinic when Sakura asked a question.

"Tamiko?"

"Yeah?"

"How did you do the flick?"

"Huh?"

"You know? It was a flick, but yet it hurt like hell, and it made me fall backwards." Sakura said.

"Oh. It was chakra-infused. With perfect timing and perfect chakra control I delivered a perfect flick. Just something that came with Tsunade's personal training. She only teaches her level 7 students and above. That's only Hinata and me right now. But I have a feeling with your heritage, you will be great," said a smiling Tamiko, that made her look very pretty.

"Oh. Okay," Sakura said smiling back at Tamiko. And with that, they headed towards the clinic.

* * *


	5. I Love You

* * *

**Dedication**

_To all my LOYAL readers. Thank you. _

* * *

**Beta-d by:** IkiIki

* * *

Chapter 5: I…Love you.

* * *

It's been six months since Sakura first arrived at the Uchiha palace. She made friends with Tamiko, Hinata, Naruto, and Sasuke. Tsunade was so much like her mother, it scared her. She moved up the levels of medic-nins faster than everyone there. She was now currently at level 8 with Hinata, and Tamiko was a level higher than her. Her life as a slave was going great compared to the other slaves at the palace.

No, they weren't chained and beat, but she didn't have to clean, cook, and do yard work like the others. More than likely it was because she was Sasuke's "bedmate", but who cares?

She was walking to her/Sasuke's room. The palace was beautifully decorated with Christmas decorations. She couldn't believe Christmas was just two days from now.

"_I need to get some gifts for the others,"_ Sakura thought

She sort of cringed at the word gifts, when she realized she was still Sasuke's gift. That then reminded her she could not leave the palace without written consent or without being with a royal.

"_Hmm. I wonder if _Tamiko_ would let me go shopping with her? I really want to get something for Sasuke. I mean he __didn't take__ my innocence, even though his father told him to," _she thought to herself.

It has also been six months of pretending to have sex. No one suspected a thing, well, no one except Tamiko. She's too smart for her age. It's been six months of routine acting, but also six months of getting to know Sasuke.

Sakura spent most of her free time just thinking about him. They talked all the time and she found out a few interesting things about him. His favorite color is dark blue. His favorite food is tomatoes. He hates sweets. He loves fighting and no one can beat him, but Naruto and him constantly end up in a draw in their spars. He has an AB blood type. He doesn't really care for animals. He can actually dance pretty well (Royals are required to take dance lessons). He has his face on the official currency. He even— wait! Why would she even know all this? Because they are friends, right? Nothing more…right?

Sakura contemplated on why she knew all of this.

"_Cause he's my friend. I mean, so what if he "legally" owns me. It's not like he tells me what to do. Yeah, he's great looking, nice, a noble and his hair smell nice after he bathes. He was always there to comfort me whenever I __broke__ down. He trusts me with his darkest secret. He even saved me from __drunken__ Neji," _she thought, contemplating.

* * *

**Flashback**

_Sakura once again,_

"_Damn it! How do I keep getting lost? It's been four months already," she thought out loud._

"_Maybe I could be of ssome sservice. My (chuckle) derest cherries bossom. W-wait. I mean sherries blossom. Wait. That can't be right eter," slurred an __obviously__ drunken Neji._

"_Oh, god! He's…drunk?" thought Sakura to herself._

_That was so unlike him. The usually well-groomed boy was a complete mess. His perfect chocolate hair was out of its tie and was all over the place. His shirt was wrinkled and dirty. And he absolutely reeked of alcohol, when he suddenly threw his arm over her shoulders._

"_N-no. Thanks, but I'll be okay, Neji," she stuttered. _

_This Neji was scary. Sakura was scared._

"_You's know that you remind me's of my ex-fiancé? She like weapons, you's know? Always got lost. No sense of di…di… direction!" he shouted into Sakura's ears, causing her to wince._

_Neji then pushed Sakura against a wall. Sakura was afraid of this drunk and POWERFUL Neji._

"_She broke off the enragement. No that's not right. Ah!" he __breathed__ into Sakura's face._

"_His breath is killing me! How much did he drink?" she thought, while trying to keep her dinner down._

"_Tentens broke off the engagement, cause she thought I was a cheater. Cans you's be-lieve it!?" he shouted once again._

_For a second, she thought he sounded like Naruto screaming 'Believe it!'. God this was __scaring __her to fucking bits._

"_Umm… Neji? I'm sorry and all, but I've got to go," she said while trying to get away from the drunken mess._

_Neji threw her against the wall again, causing her to yell out in pain._

_A guard walked past, not bothering to help her. She was a slave and he was Neji Hyuuga. The most gifted to emerge from the Hyuuga dynasty. Not someone you'd want to mess with._

"_No you's wont pinky. You know's Tentens break it off because she think I sleep with you. She saw me's help you when you's get lost. I tells her no. Your Sasuke's. You know you looks like Tentens. But pink hairs," he slurred while advancing towards her mouth._

_He never made it because Sasuke came out of nowhere and threw him down._

"_Stay away from what's mine, Hyuuga!" he yelled with the Sharingan flaring. That's when he realized what a mess his cousin was._

"_Itai!" the raven yelled, when he felt a bonk on his head._

"_How many times do I have to tell you? __I'M__ NOT YOUR TOY!" she yelled, but was quickly grabbed by the guard who recently passed her._

"_Oh NOW, he comes," she thought bitterly._

"_It's okay. Take my cousin to his room," he told the guard._

"_Hai." said the guard and grabbed hold of the Hyuuga, who just threw up all over the guard __all of a sudden_

_Sakura let out a small giggle._

"_That's what you get for not helping me," she thought to herself._

_Sasuke and Sakura turned around and headed for their room._

"_How did you know I was in trouble?"_

"_My Sakura senses were tingling." (Sorry peoples)_

_She gave him a chakra infused flick into his shoulder. She heard a low 'Itai'._

"_No, really. How did you know where I was?" she asked the prince._

"_I heard you scream. I thought you were in trouble, so I came running."_

"_Oh… Thank you," she said quietly._

"…_Hn," he said._

**End of Flashback**

* * *

Well, what happened to Neji, you may ask. Well, him and Tenten got back together the day after. She was worried when she heard that he was ill. Nobody knows what went on inside the room, but when Tenten came out, she announced that she and Neji would continue the engagement. She was also sporting a silk scarf, that wasn't there before I might add.

Tamiko guessed (but was probably right) that Neji explained the situation and probably seduced her to get back with him, in the most Hyuuga way possible:

"Please continue the engagement. It was our destiny to meet, love and be wedded."

Or something along those lines, as Tamiko "guessed".

It was also then that she realized that Sasuke actually cared about what happened to her and vice versa. She frowned at the thought.

"Of course I care. I mean…I think about him when he's not with me. I always know when he's hurt. He tells me everything about his meetings and missions that him, Naruto and their sensei go on. I love hearing his voice whenever he talks about his mission. The way he moves his hands trying to explain the jutsus he used. Or the way his eyes light up when he explains how many asses he kicked. I mean, I care 'cause he's like my best friend," she thought out load.

"No. You care because you love him," said a voice.

_"I can't believe I said that out loud,"_ she thought, turning to the owner of the voice.

There, standing in an orange medic uniform (She dyed all of her white ones different colors), was the last person she'd want to see. Tamiko-hime.

"Oh, hi, Tamiko. What brings you here, Tee-hime?" she asked. Then she realized that she had no idea where she was. She was lost. Again.

"Well, my room for one, but that doesn't matter right now. I can't believe you love Sasuke!" she squealed.

Sakura's eyes widened, then she tried to deny it.

"I do NOT love Sasuke. He's just my best friend."

Tamiko's eyes saddened.

"You mean, I'm not your best friend?"

"No! That's not what I mea—" but was cut off by Tamiko's laughter.

"You should have seen your face," she said through her laughter.

Sakura glared.

"_What kind of normal person fake-cries? But then again, this is _Tee_-hime," _she thought.

"Well, back to the subject. I can't believe you love Sasuke. Well I _can _believe it, but I would never even imagine it would happen before you guys even had sex. I mean, it wasn't—"

"I don't love Sasuke!" Sakura yelled, interrupting Tamiko from her ranting.

"Oh please. " Oh I _love _the way his hands move" and "I _love_ the way his eyes light up". "His eyes are as black as night." Please, you're in LOVE with my brother," she said, getting out of her mimicking. Even though it might have been over exaggerated when she emphasized the love part. But who noticed, other than Sakura, who was fuming at the impression.

"I DO NOT sound like that. And how long were you listening to me?!" she asked/yelled.

"Long enough to realize you love Sasuke," she replied.

Sakura was getting frustrated.

"How many times do I have to tell you? I don'—" but was cut off.

"And how many times do I have to tell you that you do, Sakura?" she said in a serious voice that made Sakura's eyes widen and her suddenly stop to listen to the younger girl before her.

"Why are you trying to convince yourself that you don't? Why can't you accept that you love him? Sakura, you DO love him." And she left without another word.

Sakura regained her composure a few minutes after Tamiko left.

"Tamiko_-hime doesn't know what she's talking about. I… I… I love Sasuke," _she thought.

"Argh!" she yelled out in frustration.

Then she realized something.

"Damn it! I'm lost! Again!"

* * *

Sasuke and Naruto were sitting against a tree.

"Naruto?"

"What?" panted Naruto. For you see, Sasuke and him had just taken part in a spar and, as usual, it ended in a draw.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Huh?" asked Naruto in confusion. Sasuke never asked Naruto anything.

"_It's__ either him or no one. _Tamiko_ will just blackmail me later. Itachi will just make fun of __it__. Kakashi will get all perverted and stuff."_

"How did you know you were attracted to Hinata? As in more than just how she looked?" asked Sasuke before he lost his nerve.

This took Naruto by complete surprise.

"Umm… What do you mean?"

A few minutes of silence passed.

Sasuke was thinking of way to word it just right.

"…I mean as in you think about her all the time. She's constantly on your mind. You wonder how she is all the time. You show and feel emotions that only she could bring out. It's like—"

"It's like she's the only person that matters and you'd die if anything ever happened her. She's like the air you need to breath or the light that brightens your day," Naruto finished off.

"…Yeah," replied Sasuke.

Silence.

"Well teme, I don't actually know who this girl is, but it sounds to me as though you're in love with her."

More silence.

Sasuke got up and muttered a farewell. He had some thinking to do.

He began walking to his room. He got there to see that Sakura wasn't there, which he was grateful for.

"_Love… I love her… I love my slave? I can't love her. It won't be accepted. I can't love a slave. I can't love a…slave," _he thought.

He realized something. He can't love a _slave, _but that may not be a problem for long.

He was interrupted from his thoughts when the door opened to reveal his… love?

* * *

Sakura walked into the room to see Sasuke look up from his desk.

"You know the palace should really have maps. I've gotten lost too many damn times. Maybe you all could--" but stopped when she realized Sasuke was staring at her with the weirdest look in his eyes.

They stayed like that for a good 2 minutes. Sakura started blushing.

"_Get it together Sakura! You can do this."_

"Well, how—" but was cut off by surprise.

Sasuke was sitting at his desk. She blinked and he was right in front of her face.

"Sakura I need to tell you something." Sasuke said in a serious tone. She could feel the hot breath because of the closeness. She blushed.

"Umm…Okay?"

Sasuke had to say this before he lost his nerve.

"Over the past six months, I've grown closer to you than any other girl I've ever known, well except for Tamiko, but this is different. I love our conversations and the way you listen. I can be myself around you. You've become like my best friend but deeper somehow. I don't really know but I think… I… I think I'm falling in love with you," he confessed.

Sakura's eyes widened.

"_He's falling for me?" _

"I…I—" but was cut off when lips were crushed onto her own.

Sasuke kissed her. Sakura was still numb from the fact that the one she supposedly loved was falling in love with her.

"_Wait! Focus at the task at hand," _her conscious was screaming at her.

It was then that she realized that Sasuke was nipping at her bottom lip. She moaned at the kiss and it gave Sasuke access to ravish her mouth.

* * *

The raven slipped his tongue in the girl's mouth. His tongue swept all throughout her mouth.

Exploring.

Tasting.

Memorizing.

Sakura gave up fighting for dominance because she was in bliss just from the kiss. Sasuke pulled away from the passionate kiss for some much needed air.

He looked at Sakura straight in the eyes. He wanted to go further, but wouldn't unless Sakura was ready. And boy, did a certain "member" of his anatomy want Sakura to say yes.

After what felt like an eternity, Sakura finally voiced her opinion in the matter. More like shook her yes. For there were no words to describe anything. All she knew consciously was that she wanted this to continue.

* * *

Sasuke lead her to the bed and pushed her down lightly. He captured her lips and began nipping at her bottom lip. She moaned and this allowed Sasuke into her mouth once again. The familiar taste was slowly becoming addictive.

He slowly worked on unbuttoning and untying that blasted medic uniform. When everything was loose, he broke the kiss to remove her fabric and to take off his shirt. He then started attacking Sakura's neck.

Sasuke loved the sounds that Sakura was emitting. He wanted to hear more, but cursed himself for not reading past chapter 8 in Kakashi's perverted book (birthday present and what he was reading at his desk earlier). He only learnt the basics, not so much the art of pleasuring.

He fumbled with the hook to Sakura's chest bindings but eventually got it off. He then started slipping off her lower undergarments. She lifted her waist to help the raven remove her underwear. Sasuke unlatched himself from Sakura's neck, earning a whimper from the disappointed Sakura. He took the time to glance over Sakura's naked form. When Sakura realized what he was doing she turned her head and blushed. Sasuke took her chin to face him and said, "You're beautiful."

He removed his pants and boxers to reveal a good eight inches of erected manhood. Sakura struggled to see what was probing at her inner thigh. Sasuke smirked at Sakura and said, "It's all me."

She settled down and blushed even deeper.

"Sakura? Are you sure" asked Sasuke huskily. He wanted to take the girl right then but would back down if she said no. No matter how much he wanted it.

"Sasuke, I want you because-I need you-I love you too," she said.

"_She loves me" _was the last thing his mind comprehended before he slipped his weeping member into her heated core. He struggled against her hymen but finally pushed through until he reached his hilt and stopped when he saw her let out a few tears.

"Do you want me to pull out?" he asked.

"_The heat is so good. Please say no," _he thought.

"No. Let me get used to it," she said.

Sasuke started nibbling on her neck trying to relax her.

"_God this hurts. I never thought it would hurt this bad."_

"M-move," she rasped.

Sasuke stopped marking her to ask a question.

"You sure?"

"_Oh god, be sure," _his mind was yelling.

"Y-yes. M-move."

Sasuke started at a slow pace.

"F-faster," Sakura panted out. She was in pure bliss right now.

Sasuke's self control flew out the window. He thrusted as fast as he could. He was pleased at the moans coming from Sakura's mouth.

Due to the fact that they were both new at this, they didn't last long.

Sakura was the first to reach her climax.

* * *

"Sasuke. You're really heavy."

"Hn," he said and removed himself from in and off of Sakura. He wrapped her in her arms and pulled the blanket to cover them.

"Sasuke, do you really love me?" Sakura said with tiredness evident in her voice.

"I've just showed you how much I do," he answered back.

"Okay." And with that, she went to sleep.

Sasuke took this time to look at his sleeping angel.

"_I can't love a slave. I just can't love a…slave." _He thought with a smile on his face when he remembered just then his plan before. He then fell asleep.

* * *

Sakura awoke to see that Sasuke had already left. She frowned at this.

Then she felt that her lower half hurt. Last night's events came streaming through her mind. She giggled and sighed.

"Nothing a little healing can fix," she said out loud and then started getting ready for her job.

* * *

It was currently noon and the clinic was dead all day long. Apparently nobody likes to get sick on Christmas Eve.

Sakura was smiling contently to herself while eating her salad. Tamiko cocked an eyebrow at her (Well, at least tried to).

"I don't see how salad can make you that happy," Tamiko said, while popping a sweet potato fry(4) in her mouth.

Sakura snapped back to reality to give Tamiko an answer.

"Oh. It's not the salad. Just something from last night," she said and resumed back to eating her salad.

Tamiko absorbed the information she had just received.

3…

2…

1…

"You…Oh Snap! You and Sasuke finally did it!" Tamiko exclaimed, pointing a finger at Sakura.

"Shut up!" she said, while looking around to see if anyone heard Tamiko's outburst. Thank goodness they were alone.

"Fine. It's just shocking. I mean after _the_ incident, I would have never expected Sasuke to go all the way, not unless… Oh Snap! Sasuke loves you too!" she cried out again.

"SHUT UP!" screamed Sakura.

"Okay, okay, okay. Give me the details. Not about the sex thing because eww (shivers because it's her brother). How did he say "I love you". I would have so killed to see him say it and mean it. I me--"

"Okay! Just calm down. I'll tell you." Sakura said as she recounted the love confession.

* * *

Shikamaru finished drawing out the papers. He was the royal record keeper. He loved the job because he could finish everything at his own pace, which was incredibly slow by the way.

"Why are you doing this again?" he asked Sasuke.

"Because a prince can't love a slave," he said

"Tch. So troublesome," Shikamaru said, stating his infamous words of laziness.

"Hn," Sasuke said, getting up and taking the papers with him as he left.

* * *

Sakura was too engulfed in her thoughts that she got lost. Again.

"What the hell. How can I be lost?" she said out loud.

"Maybe I can be of some ssservice," said a voice.

Sakura jumped at the sound of the voice. She turned around to see Itachi.

"Oh it's you Itachi-sama," she said relived and with a little bow.

"I got lost again. Can you help me find Sasuke's room? I'm supposed to be there in 20 minutes. He came by the clinic and said he had something important to tell me," she said.

"Oh, 20 minutesss is enough time to get you to Sasuke's room," he said while advancing towards her.

* * *

Sasuke looked up from his "educational" book Kakashi gave him when he heard his door open. He saw Sakura avoid his eye contact. He just shrugged it off thinking it was because of embarrassment from last night. He smirked at the thought because he got through the pleasuring chapter.

Within a blink of an eye Sasuke was in front of Sakura.

"Sakura, I have something to tell you," he said in a serious tone.

Sakura looked at him in confusion.

"I can't love you," he said.

Sakura's world just came crashing down at the statement.

"_He doesn't love me? No! He told me last night he did. He even showed me," _she thought.

"I don't believe you," she voiced out loud.

"Sakura—" but was cut off when Sakura gave him a chakra infused punch.

Normally he would have been able to block it, but he never expected Sakura to punch him. Especially not with chakra.

It sent him to the ground. Hard.

"What the hell, Sakura!" Sasuke yelled at her with his Sharingan flared.

"You lied to me. You told me you loved me. You even showed me. How coul—" but was cut off when she was pinned to the wall and silenced by a fierce kiss, form the raven.

Sakura was overpowered and couldn't get out of Sasuke's grip. She had tears coming out of her eyes. She gave in because even though he didn't love her she still loved him.

After two minutes, they broke apart for the much needed air.

Sakura was devastated but she had to know.

"Why?" she asked looking into the dark eyes.

Sasuke stared at the beautiful green eyes that belonged to the woman he fell in love with.

"I can't love you because you're a slave," he said.

That completely destroyed her. She was speechless. Her mind was not functioning at all. She just stayed there, with her mouth open.

Sasuke sighed and decided to continue his explanation.

"Sakura. I'm a prince and you're a slave. I can't love you because of the difference in class."

He dug into his pocket and pulled out some papers.

"So I got this made. It states that I have given you the Nano land that was mine, and that you are the official Lady of the land. You're not a slave anymore. I've just freed you," he said while giving Sakura the paper.

Sakura was still mute so Sasuke continued.

"Sakura I wasn't supposed to love you because of the class system and I couldn't live with the fact you're here because I own you. But now since you're a lady starting at midnight, I can officially love you," he finished.

Sakura's mind just absorbed all the information.

"_I'm… free. I'm free and he loves me!" _her mind screamed.

Sasuke let go and Sakura punched him again. Once again, Sasuke did not see that coming, but he didn't fall this time.

"What the hell?! I just gave you your freedom and you punch me." He said with his Sharingan flared once again.

Sakura glared.

"You broke my heart, saying you couldn't love me!" she screamed.

Sasuke felt guilty.

"I guess I should have worded it better," he said.

"You think?!" she yelled.

Sasuke laughed. Sakura couldn't see what was so funny, but then started laughing too. A clock rung throughout the palace. It was officially Christmas. And Sakura was officially free.

There was a deadly silence that fell throughout the room, while the clock stroked twelve times.

"Thank you. It means a lot to me, to have my freedom," Sakura said.

"Merry Christmas," He said.

That reminded Sakura of something. She dug into her uniform looking for her gift. She finally found it and handed it over to the Uchiha.

Sasuke cocked an eyebrow and opened the sack to see a silver pendent on a chain. It had a sort of glass covering and inside was something pink.

"What's this?" he asked, confused.

"It was my family symbol. The pink stuff inside the pendant is my hair," she said.

"Oh. Thank you," He said while placing it on his neck.

Silence. An awkward silence.

"So what do we do now?" Sakura asked, breaking the silence.

"Well, I can think of one thing I'd _love_ to do," he said against her ear and then started nibbling on it.

"You-- pervert," she said while blushing

Sasuke stopped and smirked.

"You know you want it."

"You're so lucky I love you," she said in defense.

"I love you," he said.

Sakura smiled and replied, "I love you too."

And then they went into a passionate kiss that lead to a repeat of the night before, but even better for Sakura, because Sasuke got past chapter eight.

* * *


	6. Shocking News

* * *

**Beta-d by:** IkiIki

* * *

**Chapter 6:** Shocking News.

* * *

"What!" yelled Fugaku. He couldn't believe what his son had just told him.

"I'm not here for your blessing, I'm just here to inform you of my decision," Sasuke replied.

Sasuke's parents were shocked. Tamiko wasn't. She could see this coming. Itachi just smirked.

"Well, I'm off," Itachi said.

He got up and left the boardroom where they were having their "family meeting." Recently, Itachi changed. He didn't stay long in the presence of other people. His food was brought to his room, he hardly ever trained, and he stopped making fun of Sasuke, which Sasuke himself didn't mind. But Tamiko was wary of Itachi's change. She couldn't seem to trust him anymore. There was something wrong but she couldn't understand it. The outside was the same, but how he acted was completely different. It was as if he didn't want attention, which was so unlike Itachi.

Mikoto tried to calm her husband down and asked Sasuke a question.

"Why?" she asked in a soft voice, trying to understand.

"Because I love her," he answered back.

This got Fugaku boiling mad.

"Love?! What does a 16-year old know about love? First, you freed her. Then, you gave her my land. Now this?!" he screamed.

Sasuke was unfazed by his father's outburst.

"First of all, I'm 17. Second, she was MY slave and I could free her whenever the hell I wanted," he said with a deathly undertone.

Everyone was quiet. Sasuke was talking back to his father. The king! Only one person had ever dared to do this and that person was currently in his room doing who knows what. Mikoto didn't dare say a thing and Tamiko was just busy enjoying the show.

"_Whoa! I never thought he'd ever have the guts to talk back to him. Boy this __is__ good," _Tamiko thought happily.

Fugaku had his Sharingan flared. He couldn't believe his son, his **_flesh_** and **_blood_**, was defying him and actually talking back. Sasuke had his Sharingan flared too, and continued talking.

"Third it was MY land. And finally, you WILL accept the FACT that I WILL ask Sakura to be my WIFE!" he practically screamed.

* * *

Shock.

Boy was he shocked. He couldn't believe his heir was proposing, so he went into a state of mental meltdown when he learned of this. AND, his son yelled at him. He couldn't believe it, so his mind just stopped working.

He's now at the second phase.

Anger.

**Crsh!**

That was the third vase the pissed off king threw at the door. It's been ten minutes after he received the news from his now emotionless son. The king kept yelling and screaming, while his wife just sat there. After about another 3 minutes of cursing and other inappropriate behavior, Mikoto got up and tried to comfort her husband through the third step of finding out shocking news.

Acceptance.

They sat still for good ten minutes because Fugaku had to think. I mean really think.

"_He loves her. He's young but officially becomes an adult in about 5 months. He will need a…a… wife. And with a wife there will be heirs and I will have grandchildren," _he thought.

Fugaku let out a deep sigh and looked at his son.

"I have no choice but to accept it, don't I?" he asked.

Sasuke blinked at his father. Shocked to find out his father was actually accepting the fact he was going to propose, he quickly nodded a 'Yes' before his father changed his mind.

"Very well then. When you receive her approval, we'll have a ball to announce the engagement and you are to be married within the next year. I'd like my grandchild very soon," he said with a laugh that embarrassed his son.

"_Only you would say that," _he thought.

"Ahem" called Tamiko.

The other Uchihas turned to a nervous looking Tamiko. She started talking.

"Well…umm…you see…"

"Tamiko, what's wrong?" asked a now glaring Sasuke.

Tamiko took a deep breath and began to talk.

"Well, you know how Sakura was a slave right?" she paused while getting a nod from Sasuke to continue.

"Do you remember the requirements bedmates get?" she said while biting her lip.

"_Requirements? What the hell is sh—"_

"Birth control," he said out loud.

* * *

There was a sudden silence that fell upon the room's occupants. They realized what Tamiko was trying to say. Sakura couldn't bear children. Which meant there would be no Uchiha heir. Which would mean the Uchiha dynasty would collapse and the Konoha kingdom would fall into a state of anarchy, which would lead to years of depression for the civilians. That or the Hyuugas would take over, and they can't have that happening.

After a few minutes of silence, Tamiko spoke up again.

"Well, there is one solution."

Sasuke turned to face his younger sister.

"What is it, because I don't see how you can fix this? I'm the last male heir and if the woman that I love and want to be with cannot produce an heir, I can't marry her or I'd have to let Neji take over my land," he said with a glare.

Tamiko just glared right back.

"Well, when I first trained to become a medic, the first thing Tsunade-sama told me and Hinata-chan was that medicine was not completely affective. That there was always a chance that it would not work. The highest chance of the birth control shot working is 99 percent, but over the months the medicine should have gotten slightly weaker and over time it will get weaker, so it should be like 97 percent now. So…" she said getting excited.

Sasuke blinked and stared at her. This caused Tamiko to sigh once more at her brother's stupidity.

"_And they call him a genius," _she thought.

"So if you have sex with her a hundred times I'm sure she would have three chances of getting pregnant." She said with a smile.

A blush crept on Sasuke's face.

"How are you sure? How come in the Uchiha history, no bedmate has ever gotten pregnant?" asked the king.

"Well, I'm guessing no one ever kept a bedmate long enough to find out if the shot would wear out. So there is a slight chance she could produce an heir… eventually," she concluded.

There were a few moments of silence, while everyone pondered on this thought, until finally Sasuke spoke.

"I'm still going to propose. There is always a chance, and I'm sure you can make something to null the birth control shot, and besides… I can wait because I love her."

* * *

"Orochimaru-sama, when would you like to extract your revenge, sir?" asked Kabuto.

"Hmm…the next big gathering. I'd like to take out as many people as possible, at the same time." He answered his subordinate.

"As you wish," Kabuto answered and leapt out the window.

* * *

Sakura clutched her sides as she emptied out her stomach into the toilet. She flushed and sat on top of the seat, as she struggled through her nausea to focus her chakra in her hands. She searched her abdomen to confirm her suspicions that she had for the past few days. The increased need to use the bathroom, the fatigue, and now morning sickness. She didn't know that this could happen even after the shot, but then again, medicine is never 100 percent effective. It was early dawn and she knew without a doubt that she was pregnant.

Sakura looked at the sleeping form of Sasuke. Tears swelled in her eyes when she remembered how he got back from his royal duties and how he wanted to take her out to dinner the next day. He seemed happy and excited about something. Sakura knew Sasuke would be happy to hear she was pregnant with his child.

* * *

**Flashback**

_Sakura was too engulfed in her thoughts __so__ she got lost. Again_

"_What the hell. How can I be lost?" she said out loud._

"_Maybe I can be of some ssservice." said a voice._

_Sakura jumped at the sound of the voice. She turned around to see Itachi._

"_Oh it's you, Itachi-sama," she said relived and with a little bow. _

"_I got lost again. Can you help me find Sasuke's room? I'm __suppose__ to be there in 20 minutes. He came by the clinic and said he had something important to tell me," she said._

"_Oh, 20 minutesss is enough time to get you to Sasuke's room," he said while advancing towards her._

_Sakura backed away from Itachi, who suddenly rubbed her shoulder seductively._

"_What are you doing?" she asked._

"_Nothing, Ssakura-san," he said, as he continued towards her._

_Sakura turned to leave, but was stopped when a wrist grabbed her._

"_Itachi-sama, let go," she warned._

"_No," he replied._

_Sakura didn't like how Itachi was looking at her and tried to punch him off with a chakra infused punch, but he just caught it. Sakura stared at the man, __wide-eyed_

"_H-he just caught my punch," she thought to herself._

"_L-let me go. I'll find my way myself," she stammered, now completely scared._

"_Now now Ssakura, why would I do that?" he whispered into her ear, before nipping on the earlobe._

"_Let go! I'll scream. Sa—" but was cut off when Itachi crushed his lips on hers._

_When he finally pulled __out__, he cupped a hand over hers and used it to bind her with chakra strings. He carried the restless girl to a room a few feet away and threw her on the couch, causing her to hit her head on the wood that outlined it. She started seeing stars._

_Itachi searched through his pockets to redeem a gag and stuff it in her mouth tying it behind her head. Itachi got over her and starting undoing both of their garments. Itachi lowered his face to the now crying girl to whisper in her ear._

"_Foolish little Ssasuke. Doesn't he know that I always get my revenge."_

* * *

_Tears streamed down her face as Itachi entered her. There was no love, gentleness, or passion; just lust that needed to be satisfied. _

_It hurt when Itachi kept thrusting and Sakura cursed her body for arching into the man above her. She didn't want this. She wanted Sasuke! Not this monster who just came inside her._

_Itachi got up and redressed himself. He released her and came close to her ear again. _

_"I wouldn't tell anyone if I were you," he said in a threatening tone, and kissed her harshly. _

_He smirked before throwing a towel on the trembling girl and left. _

_Sakura saw a clock in the corner and saw she had ten minutes till she needed to meet Sasuke and cursed herself once more when she knew she didn't have time to wash Itachi's presence off her. She felt dirty, but with the towel, all she could do was __remove__ the semen from her thighs and get dressed. Also, with a little medical jutsu, she could heal her lower self. _

_When she had gotten rid of the scent and any trace of what had occurred she saw she had about three minutes and ran to her destination, only hoping Sasuke would never find out. She had to remain strong. _

**End of Flashback**

* * *

Sakura knew Sasuke would be happy to hear she was pregnant with his child…_if_ it was his child.

* * *


	7. Tangled Web Revealed

* * *

**Beta-d** by: IkiIki :)

* * *

"You need to calm down," said a voice.

Sasuke whipped his head from his plate that he had been messing with to face the slightly amused princess, Tamiko.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing. Just wanted to see how you were going to propose to her," she said while taking one of Sasuke's tomatoes that was on his plate.

Completely ignoring how Tamiko had just stolen his precious fruit, he started speaking.

"Sakura is going to be back any moment, so can you please go. Wait, how did you get past Kakashi?" he inquired, because it was virtually impossible to get past him. Though Tamiko was a princess, Sasuke ordered Kakashi the full right to keep everyone away from his private dinner. Even if you were the king.

"Got some advance copies of the new Icha Icha Paradise books from Naruto. You know he co-writes them," she explained, which caused Sasuke to cock an eyebrow.

"_Note to self: Get a copy from _Tamiko_ later," _Sasuke thought to himself.

"Anyways, I bought them hoping to bribe Kakashi later on so that I can get him to take off his mask. You know he is really gor—" but was interrupted when the doorknob turned.

"Quick! Under the table," Sasuke whispered to Tamiko, panicking.

"There is no way in he—" but the princess didn't finish her sentence because Sasuke rudely pulled her under the table.

"Stay quiet and I'll let you play with my hair," he said.

This immediately shut Tamiko up. How she longed to play with her brother's hair which he doesn't let anyone touch, except Sakura of course. The raven's nice, soft, black locks just made Tamiko want to comb and brush it. Weird, huh? But this was **Sasuke's **hair and this was an opportunity to freely ravish it with her hands. So she stayed put.

"Sasuke, who are you talking to?" Sakura asked as she sat in her chair.

"Oh, no one. Just thinking out loud."

"Oh. Okay."

* * *

Sasuke watched as Sakura devoured her plate and asked for seconds.

"_She probably skipped lunch," _he thought as he watched the pink-haired girl.

Sasuke thought about his decision to propose to the slightly chubbier woman in front of him. It wasn't as though he was having doubts. No. Not this Uchiha. Not Sasuke. It's just that Sasuke noticed a few… changes in Sakura's behavior today.

First it was that morning. When the prince woke up this morning, he noticed that Sakura wasn't in his embrace. She was scooted to the edge the bed, as if trying not to touch Sasuke.

Second was her over active bladder. Every time he's seen her today, she had to go use the bathroom very soon.

Third was her bitchiness. Sasuke didn't know what the hell was wrong with her. One moment she's happy, then 5 seconds later she's angry with him. I mean, maybe it was PMS that caused her mood swings, but who the hell cries over a pretzel?! I mean, it wasn't his fault he sat on the bag.

* * *

**Flashback**

_Sasuke came from behind and wrapped his arms around Sakura's waist, causing __her__ to jump._

_She quickly turned with a look of horror on her face, until she realized it was Sasuke._

"_Oh, it's you, Sasuke," she said, trying to calm down._

_Sasuke didn't like how Sakura responded to his touch. It was almost as if she was terrified. Like she wasn't expecting him..._

"_Did you need something?" she asked sweetly._

_Sasuke's suspicions vanished at the sound of her voice._

"_No. Just came by to check on you," he said wrapping __his__ arms around the woman he loved and pulled her into a kiss. _

_Sakura's hands found themselves in black locks as she pulled them closer, making the kiss more passionate ad hungrier. Sasuke responded with equal vigor and picked Sakura up. He bent to sit on a chair when he heard a loud popping noise._

"_POP!"_

_Sakura broke away from the heated kiss only to realize that Sasuke sat on her bag of pretzels. The very same bag of pretzels she'd been craving for the past three hours. The same bag that she'd spent _an hour _looking for in the market with the sun beating down on her skin. The same bag of pretzels that had just been squished by Sasuke's butt._

_Seething with anger, Sakura got up from a confused prince, gathered up some chakra, picked up the bewildered prince and threw him off her precious bag of pretzels. With a loud thud Sasuke landed against a wall and Sharingan flaring._

"_What the hell!" he yelled while stomping towards the pink haired girl._

"_You sat on my pretzels!" she yelled with her back against him._

_Sasuke took the girl by her shoulders and turned her around. He was shocked when his love starting crying and looked absolutely terrified. Maybe it was his oh so intimidating eyes…_

_The petrified look on Sakura's face calmed him down immediately._

"_Look Sakura, I'll get you a new bag," he said softly._

"_R-really?" Sakura said through choked up sobs._

"_Yes," he replied._

"_Oh thank you!" the girl said and hugged the confused prince._

"_What the hell…" he thought at the girl's mood swings._

**End of Flashback **

**

* * *

**

If Sasuke was any less of a man he would have jumped when he felt a hand on his leg, when clearly Sakura's hands were in fiddling with a fork and a knife. If he was any less, he might have actually jumped. But not this Sasuke. Not this gorgeous Uchiha prince. So he gazed down to see an orange sandal, occupied by a caramel foot.

_"I forgot she was there…" _

He "discreetly" slid his fork off the table and it landed near his foot.

"I'll get that," he said to the woman in front of him, who just nodded her head.

Sasuke got on his knees to face himself with a princess mouthing to him.

"_Ask her." _

To which she just received a confused face from the raven.

Tamiko rolled her eyes.

"_Propose. Go!"_

_"I'm going to. Just stop!" _

"Sasuke?"

"Yes," he replied, getting back into his chair.

"Have you ever thought about what will happen to us after I leave?" she asked.

"What do you mean leave?" he asked in surprise.

Sakura wasn't leaving. Not this Sakura.

"I mean after my medic training. I can't possibly stay here. I mean, in your room, for the rest of my life," she said with a small blush.

Sasuke was silent. He never thought about the living arrangements till now. But then again, it won't be a problem.

"Sakura. There's been something I've been meaning to ask you," he said, suddenly getting nervous.

No. An Uchiha doesn't get nervous. It's the food that making him a little queasy in the stomach.

"Can you stand with me for a minute?" he asked to the confused pink-headed medic, but she accepted the offered hand and let Sasuke guide her to the window, where the moon could be seen.

Tamiko got low enough so she could see under the tablecloth.

"Sakura, you know it's Valentine's Day, right?" he asked.

"Yes…" she said having no idea where this was leading to.

"It's the holiday to celebrate love, like ours," he stated.

Sakura's eyes widened when she realized what day it was. She looked around to just notice the romantic setting. Dim room, candles lit, and dinner by the moonlight… the romantic works. She was so distracted with how she was going to break the news she was going to leave to protect him… and her baby, that she completely forgot today.

"Well, I-I know you know I love you," he stuttered.

"_Sasuke stuttered!" _screamed both Sakura's and Tamiko's minds.

"Sakura," he said, holding her by the elbows now.

"You make me crazy. I'm constantly thinking if you're okay, what you're doing and when you'll be back in my arms again. You make me laugh, angry, frustrated and befuddled. You make me feel so much. You revived me from that hollow shell I once was. You fill me up with so much that I could never stand to lose you," he said getting on one knee, which caused Sakura's eyes to widen.

"So Sakura, my love, please don't leave me. Stay with me through thick and thin. Stay with me through the hot and cold. Dawn and dusk. Stay with me by my side, as my reviver, my love… my wife," he finished, slipping a simple jade and onyx ring on her left ring finger.

Sakura's eyes widened as Sasuke slipped the beautiful jewel on her. She was shocked. Sasuke stood up to look deep into those green eyes he fell so much in love with.

Sakura was torn. How could she accept? How could she accept when she may be carrying another man's child?

"S-Sasuke? I… I don't know what to say," she choked out.

"A yes would be appreciated," he stated nervously — I mean… the hell with that.

He was nervous and scared at the moment. Sakura was taking her precious time to answer the damn proposal.

"I- I…can't," she said, letting go and running out the door, which wasn't currently guarded by Kakashi (Reading a familiar book in his room).

She left a crushed Sasuke behind and an amazed Tamiko in the room. She left the man she loved in that room.

* * *

"Tamiko…" Sasuke started but couldn't finish his sentence.

He was hurt. He was crushed. He had just been rejected by the love of his life…and without an explanation at all.

"Yeah. I'll talk to her," the now worried princess said to her brother.

"Please…" he said as he let out a tear.

* * *

Sakura blindly ran where her feet led her to, but she grew tired quickly as the fatigue from her pregnancy settled in. She sunk against a wall and let it out. The tears, the sadness and the pain in her heart that kept growing. She couldn't say yes. She couldn't let Sasuke know that it may not be his child. She'd run. Yes. She just needed to get to the room, pack her stuff and run. She'd find a job to support her and her baby. She just… she just couldn't tell Sasuke.

"Sakura," said a very pissed off voice.

Sakura looked up to find a very pissed off princess just seething with rage.

"D-Tamiko-hime," she said standing, trying to compose herself.

"Why did you say no?" she asked calmly, but Sakura knew she would snap with the wrong answer.

Sakura debated with herself to tell the princess. Deciding Tamiko would find out some how she spoke.

"I c-couldn't marry him. I'm p…pregnant," she announced.

* * *

Sasuke couldn't take it any longer. He followed the way Tamiko had gone and soon followed the voices. He had to know why and fast. He stopped short from turning around the corner when he heard Sakura's voice.

"I'm p…pregnant," he heard her utter.

Sasuke's eyes grew big when he heard the woman he loved say those words.

"_She's pregnant…with my child," _he thought.

He was shocked, but that didn't explain why she said no. So he tuned back into the conversation.

"…I don't get it. Why leave? Why didn't you say yes? I know you love him just as much as he loves you," Tamiko explained to the crying girl.

"No! No, no no…" she wailed.

"Tell me! Why?" Tamiko said yelling.

Sakura shook out of Tamiko's grasp and yelled her answer.

"Because I don't know if it's his!" she cried, which caused Tamiko to be speechless for the first time in her life.

Sasuke couldn't breath. He couldn't say anything. He soon found himself fuming. Who touched her?! Who touched what was his?! Who… who raped her?!

* * *

I did it. I told Tamiko everything. I was getting ready to turn and leave when I stopped at the sound of that familiar voice.

"Who?" said Sasuke with a deathly undertone.

I turned to face spinning black and red eyes. Sasuke's Sharingan.

I couldn't speak. I couldn't do anything except cry, so he repeated his question.

"Who raped you?" he asked.

"I-I—" but never answered the question because someone interrupted her.

"I did."

Sasuke turned his face to meet equally blood red eyes and was shocked.

"I-Itachi?" he asked dumbfound, turning to see his brother.

"No. It's me. Orochimaru," he said with a smirk on his face.

* * *


	8. A Final Battle

* * *

**Chapter 8**: _A Final Battle_

* * *

**Beta-d by:** IkiIki

* * *

"Stop fucking around, Itachi!" Sasuke screamed.

He was in no mood to have his brother play games with him. His… girl was raped, the father of her baby unclear and all Itachi could do was joke around about something like this. Then he had the audacity to bring Orochimaru's name up. Itachi knew what that bastard did and he brought this up **now**. This caused Sasuke's anger to rise even more.

"No, Sasuke. I'm not messing with you. Don't you remember me, Sasuke?" 'Itachi' said, while taking one of his hands to his face.

The sound of the man's voice and face changed to a very recognizable one. Orochimaru's.

"B-but, Itachi…" Sasuke started but was interrupted by an explanation from Orochimaru.

"Yes. Your foolish brother. He was a problem, I have to admit, but it was easily taken care of," he said with a smirk.

"What did you do to him!" screamed Tamiko, who Sasuke completely forgot about.

"Nothing at all. I just used my new jutsu, Living Corpse Reincarnation, and now I have his body, his speed," in which he demonstrated by arriving in front of Sakura's face, hitting her hard in the stomach, which caused her to collapse and fall unconscious, "strength," in while he said this returned to his original spot, "and bloodline limit." He concluded while activating the Sharingan.

Sasuke and Tamiko were shocked. They saw how Orochimaru had just hurt Sakura, who was with child, so easily. They knew that he would not go easy on them.

Before Sasuke could strike, an earsplitting scream was heard. Sasuke turned to his right to see Tamiko falling to her knees. There were two sinbons embedded into her calves, which were inserted by a gray-haired man. Kabuto.

Tamiko's eyes flared green.

"How didn't I know!" she yelled angrily.

Kabuto smirked at her.

"Well, your case is special. You were quite an obstacle to overcome. From extensive readings, it was said that you can easily see into the future if you were in danger, but after even longer hours of research, an ancient scroll found on the outskirts of Amegakure, where one of your past lives stupidly wrote the reason she can see into the future. You are only able to activate your special powers if you sense that your _enemy _wants to hurt you." He explained, causing Tamiko to grit her teeth, for she knew he was speaking the truth.

"So all I had to do was sneak up behind you, while you were too focus on Orochimaru-sama, and think that I wasn't going to hurt you, just give you a hug," he finished with a glint of arrogance in his eyes.

Tamiko knew she was stuck. Her legs were paralyzed and her chakra stores were closing, so she couldn't use her strength. For the first time in her life, she felt completely helpless.

"Now be a good girl and enjoy the batt—" but was cut off, when a kunai pierced his thigh.

Kabuto turned to face himself with another gray-haired man. Kakashi.

* * *

Orochimaru growled at Kakashi. He thought he got rid of him, but he must have had the antidote to the poisoning paralysis drug in his pouch somewhere.

"How?" said a dark voice, belonging only to Sasuke.

Orochimaru smirked his stupid smirk and chuckled darkly.

"Now, now Sasuke, why would you like to know?" he inquired, which led to a kunai heading towards his head, but he bent his neck out of the way and braced himself for a fight.

"Answer me damn it!" Sasuke yelled as he ran towards the snake-like man.

Sasuke threw two kunai with a paper bomb attached to them both, but Orochimaru dodged them and they set off into the wall behind, causing a huge hole. They had more room to fight, because it blew the wall separating the hall and the dojo.

"Hidden Shadow Snake Hand," cried Orochimaru, as Sasuke ran towards him, but Sasuke seeing this, pulled a katana off the wall, and sliced the snakes right off, yet Orochimaru wasn't phased by this. He just opened his mouth and out came a snake that produced his Kusanagi Sword.

"My my, Sasuke. You can wield a sword, too?" Orochimaru said facetiously.

"Just tell me how you were able to trick my brother into giving you his body, you bastard!" Sasuke yelled as he ran towards the snake man.

* * *

Clashes of swords were heard as the two fought. Since neither had any one-handed jutsu in their artillery, ninjutsu were not used. As for genjutsu, since Orochimaru changed back into Itachi's body, both of their Sharingan were canceling the other out. The battle was based on pure strength, speed and strategy.

"You know, I never expected you to be equally as strong as me," Orochimaru gritted out.

"My brother…what did you do to him?" Sasuke asked for what seemed like the hundredth time.

They have been at this for 15 minutes already, and the pressure was starting to set in. Sasuke wanted to check on Sakura and her condition, as well as Tamiko and Kakashi, since he had defeated Kabuto, but knocked out do to chakra exhaustion, yet the man in front of him was not going to let him go.

"Your brother was a fool. Sacrificing himself for your family. He let me take his body, just as long as I did not take yours," Orochimaru said, just as their katanas clashed again.

"_He-he wanted my body," _Sasuke thought.

"Yes, a fool. I agreed and conditioned his body to fight and kill you to take over the throne, but it's not going as easy as I planned. You've grown, Sasuke. Very much indeed." Orochimaru said, licking his lips.

Sasuke was very uncomfortable by the action. He remembered the rape and realized there was lust in the gay-ass snake bastard's eyes, which really made him uncomfortable.

"I certainly never knew you had a girlfriend though, and quite a good fuck at that, too," he said, smirking at the now very pissed off Uchiha.

Sasuke stumbled over a piece of ceiling and silently cursed himself for his stupidity. Orochimaru took this chance to knock Sasuke's katana out of his loose grip, and then pierced his own sword into Sasuke's stomach.

"Ah!" Sasuke cried as the metal of Orochimaru's sword went into his stomach.

* * *

The pain was unbearable, and he knew he didn't have a chance to defeat Orochimaru. He failed. He failed his brother, who tried to protect him. He failed Sakura, and her unborn child. He failed Tamiko, who was still conscious but paralyzed. She had seen his failure. As much as he didn't want to admit it, he even failed Kakashi, who took out one of the opponents making it easier for him.

He failed everyone. He felt pathetic. He… he… he had a plan!

* * *

Orochimaru wondered why Sasuke was smirking. Had he not brought down the boy? Had he not just brought down the last Konoha Prince? Yet, the boy kneeling in front of him, with a sword still embedded in his gut, was smirking!

"Why are you happy?" Orochimaru spat out viciously.

Sasuke opened his eyes, which held a hint of mirth; like he knew of something he did not know.

Quickly, Sasuke did his Chidori hand seals and the bluish-white ball of lightning formed in his hands.

"That is useless if you can not even reach me." Orochimaru stated, even though the boy formed such a powerful jutsu in his current state.

Sasuke's smirk grew wider.

"Chidori current," he stated, as the lightning spread throughout his exterior, head to toe, then from Orochimaru's Kusanagi Sword, which was still in his stomach, all the way to Orochimaru's body, before the man could even register what was going on.

* * *

Sasuke sighed and just wanted the darkness in his vision to consume him, but he knew he couldn't do so. He had to finish the man off.

So Sasuke got up weakly, and with a pained cry, pulled the sword out and put a hand over his wound, trying to stop the blood flow. But that wasn't working too well.

Sasuke picked up his now heavy katana off the floor and went to stand over Orochimaru's paralyzed body.

"I was foolish to forget you know how to do the current," Orochimaru stated.

"You were also foolish to mess with my precious persons," Sasuke sneered at the man, holding the katana above his head.

"You wouldn't kill your brother, eh Sasuke?" Orochimaru said vilely.

Sasuke glared.

"My brother has already sacrificed himself, and is dead. You, you bastard, are not my brother," Sasuke said, as he quickly beheaded the man, ended his life.

* * *

Sasuke weakly dragged himself to where his love was lying unconscious, but when he got half way there, Tamiko spoke.

"Sasuke. Get me an antidote out of Kakashi's pouch. I'll then tend to everyone else's wounds." Tamiko stated.

Sasuke looked at Sakura's body, knowing he wouldn't be able to do anything, and going to Tamiko first would make sense. So he turned and walked towards Kakashi, still leaving a trail of blood from his stomach wound.

Sasuke got to the floor and started searching in the man's pocket.

"Which one is it?" he said sleepily, the affects of blood lost catching up quickly.

"It's purplish," Tamiko cried.

Sasuke found it, and with his last bit of energy, brought it over to Tamiko, opened up the corked bottle, saw Tamiko down it, and finally let the darkness consume him.

* * *


	9. Mine or Not?

* * *

**Disclaimer: **I own Naruto? Uh...not yet...

* * *

**Chapter 9:** Mine or not?

* * *

**Beta-d by:** IkiIki

* * *

"Why is it that every time I'm in this medic wing, I always have to wake up to your bright ass hair?" Sasuke groaned out, trying to sit up.

"Oh, how nice. The bastard can only have a sense of humor when he loses a third of his blood and comes from a coma," Naruto answered back, helping his best friend sit up.

"Hn."

"Nice to have you awake, teme… it's been very painful for Sakura."

Sasuke immediately cast his full attention to Naruto.

"How is she? The baby…" he trailed off.

Sasuke didn't like how Naruto sighed.

"You've been in this coma for four months and a lot has happened…"

"Sakura. What about Sakura?" Sasuke asked frantically.

"She—" but Naruto was interrupted when the door opened to reveal a chubbier and big-bellied pink-haired woman.

"S…Sasuke?"

"Sakura…"

* * *

It's a weird thing you know. Being pregnant and all.

This 6-month-old bulge in my stomach is really frustrating. I haven't seen my feet in about four days, my feet hurt and from what Naruto told me, they are fatter and wider.

It's very obvious I'm pregnant…I'm freaking huge! My back hurts constantly because of the added weight, I get these weird cravings for ramen so much that I suspect I'm eating more than Naruto and _that's_ saying something.

Well, at least I'm not having morning sickness anymore. That was two months of hell, but not as much as a hell of not having Sasuke around. I loved him. The bastard things he said, his arrogance, his vanity… his smile, his laugh, his touch, his love…

It's so weird feeling all this. Especially about one man, but then again, it _was_ Sasuke. I sit, eat and sleep by his side constantly. The only exception is when I have to do my daily exercise of walking to get lunch. I have to keep healthy. I am pregnant. But Sasuke has Naruto to take care of him while I'm gone.

"_What a good friend," _Sakura thought as she opened the door to the prince's private ward.

All she could do was stutter a Sasuke when she met the black and awoken eyes of her love.

* * *

Naruto isn't as stupid as many believe he is. As a matter of fact, he is quite observant. So when he saw the longing in the raven and cherry blossom's eyes, he quickly excused himself with some random excuse about his lady love wanting to meet at that particular time. Yes, Naruto was quite intelligent.

* * *

After Sakura got back to her senses, she was by Sasuke's side in a matter of seconds. Sasuke pulled her down and their lips met in a fiery clash. It's been months since they have been able to touch, feel, and be with each other. Sakura's hands immediately went to the long black locks that would soon need a trim.

Oh how Sakura missed this.

Her Sasuke.

Quicker then they realized, they had to break their passionate kiss. Damn air.

Panting, their eyes met and the two could see the love in their eyes.

"Sasuke…" Sakura uttered, before she gave him a tight hug.

"Sakura, I can't breathe," Sasuke muttered out.

Immediately letting go, Sakura blushed and said sorry. They were silent for a while. Just gazing into each other's eyes. Smoldering black into fierce green. Then Sasuke's eyes averted to Sakura's belly.

Needing to know, Sasuke asked the big question (You all are getting your answer, finally…).

"Is… is it mine?"

Sakura took a deep intake of breath.

"No."

* * *


	10. Epilogue: Remain Strong

* * *

**To my reviewers: **_Well, thanks for the reviews for one, and all those who stuck with me. I really appreciate it! Umm...I'd also like to dedicate this epilogue to the two that guessed what would happen:_

**suitohato** (They like exactly guessed right)

**Sakura-Uchiha-xox** (You had the concept right)

_Okay...later :) _

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**Epilogue:** Remain Strong

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**Beta-d by:** IkiIki

_Thanks for all your work :)_

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Sakura sat in her dress. This was supposed to be the happiest day of her life but she couldn't help but feel saddened. She remembered all the pain she held inside as she opened the box that contained her maid of honor's dress. Tamiko's dress.

It was orange, but the belt, straps and the part under the pleats were red. The red that matched her dress. The one Tamiko also designed.

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**Flashback**

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Sakura awoke in pain. She saw Tsunade working on her abdomen, when she remembered how Orochimaru hit her in her stomach.

Her baby.

"Tsunade. What's wrong? What's wrong with my baby?" Sakura pleaded through her pain, which caused Tsunade to stop her treatment.

"Sakura. You're awake," she started, but the look in Sakura's eyes immediately told her that Sakura didn't give a damn that she was okay. She wanted to know about the life inside of her.

"Sakura. I'm not going to beat around the bush, so I'll tell it to you straight. The force of Orochimaru's punch killed your child. You are currently going through a miscarriage," she said.

Sakura started to hyperventilate.

"Sakura! Sakura! You need to breathe. There is more," the legendary medic said.

Sakura took a while to even out her breathing, but there were unshed tears in her eyes as she tried to calm down to hear what the woman was saying.

"You were pregnant with two children. You were carrying twins. Fraternal. Only one of them died. The female," Tsunade said.

"_Twins," _she thought. She was carrying twins?

"Who's are they?" she asked, which shocked the medic.

Sakura didn't know who the father was?

"Sakura. They aren't the prince's children?" Tsunade asked her apprentice.

Sakura wasn't in the exact condition to tell her sensei the whole story, so she gave her the condensed version.

"Orochimaru raped me a day after I was with Sasuke. The children were conceived around the same time, I just don't know if it was Sasuke or Orochimaru's sperm that fertilized the egg," she said.

"So can you tell the paternity?" Sakura asked, not knowing how long she could hold out, before the pain consumed her and forced her into a state of unconsciousness.

"I can't test now Sakura, but I have some good news. I— well, more so another, can revive your child," Tsunade said in a voice that said 'I-have-good-news-but-there-are-consequences.'

"H-how? The only way to revive the dead is with the Tensei Jutsu and we all know it's a forbidden jutsu. Someone has to give up their _life _to perform it."

"Someone is _willing _to do so, Sakura," Tsunade said.

Sakura's eyes widened.

"No. Tell them no," Sakura yelled at her sensei.

Tsunade opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted.

"You really need to learn your place Sakura. You can not tell me what to do."

Tamiko?

"Ta-hime, no. I don't care. I won't let you do the life transfer jutsu…" but her voice was giving the signs of weariness.

"But your voice sounds like you can't stop me," the princess said cockily.

Sakura wanted to continue to scream out, but the pain was causing her to slip into unconsciousness. Before the darkness consumed her the last thing she heard was,

"Goodbye…"

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**End of flashback**

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It was weird when Tamiko was gone. There was no one other than Naruto she could talk to. Tsunade excused her from her training until two months after the end of her pregnancy. Tsunade and Hinata were kept busy healing the wounded in the recent battle, which did not just compose of Orochimaru and Kabuto. No, there was an ongoing battle outside the palace, in which Sand as well as Sound allied their forces to bring down the Konoha kingdom, but with the death of Orochimaru and the fierce battling of Naruto, Neji, Tsunade and her husband Jiraiya, as well as many other Konoha ninja, they won.

The battle took many lives, such as the lives of the king and queen and because of this, a coronation was in order, but to do so, the next in line must be wedded.

The coronation was a month from now, but today, Prince Sasuke Uchiha will marry Lady Sakura Haruno.

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Sasuke paced in the room he was supposed to change in. Back and forth, back and forth.

"You need to stop."

"I'm thinking, Naruto!" the stressed prince yelled to his best man.

"Fine, Mr. Rudeness. I'll just wait outside and we'll head over when you're ready to go," Naruto said.

The door clicked and Sasuke immediately dropped himself in a chair which was in front of a mirror. He looked at the suit he was wearing, which Tamiko specifically detailed in one of the many letters she left, that it must be a western wedding.

It was black on white, with a black tie. He wore his really heavy crown and army emblems, for it was a royal wedding.

He couldn't believe it. After all this time, effort, loss… he was going to get married.

Not to one of those noble pampered twits. No. The love of his life. Sa-ku-ra Ha-ru-no.

After thinking for a while, he was ready mentally to get married. He got up and with Naruto in tow, he headed over to his wedding.

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Sasuke walked down the aisle that separated rows filled with nobility, friends and unfortunately no other family other than the Hyuugas. They all gathered to witness the matrimony of the soon-to-be king.

Then, he waited for his best man to escort the maid of honor, as well as the twins. When Naruto and Hinata finally started their walk with each carrying Sakamo, the boy and Tomoko, named after the late princess who gave the young one her life back. Sakura was highly upset when the twins were born, that they came out to look exactly like their father. The hair, eyes, skin tone, everything. The only way to tell Sakura was their mother was their lips.

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**Flashback**

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"Sakura. One more push and you'll have your daughter," Tsunade said.

"I **AM** PUSHING!" Sakura yelled through her pain.

Of all the advancements in the medical field, no one has yet to create a medication, ointment, jutsu or whatever to dull the pain of childbirth.

"One more, Sakura," Tsunade told her pupil.

"Argh!" Sakura yelled out as she pushed one final time.

The cry of the newborn girl set off a chain reaction, which caused the baby boy born only two minutes before to cry. The staff in the room busied themselves settling down the twins and at that moment Sasuke rushed into the room, since a medic said he could finally come back in.

"Sakura, how are you?" he asked coming to her side immediately.

"The pain hurt like hell was on fire," Sakura snapped at him.

Before Sasuke could reply, the nurse handed the twins to Sakura and she started to cry.

"Sakura, what's wrong?" Sasuke said, snapping out of his daze and looking at the children. They were so small…

"It's not fair. I go through all this pain, pushing, screaming and for what?! For them to come out looking exactly like their father!" she wailed.

Sasuke didn't really know what to say, so he did what all men would do in this situation.

Apologize.

"I'm sorry, Sakura, that they came out looking like me, but if it's any consolation you were the one who upset me first," Sasuke said.

"Me?!"

"Don't you remember when I first found out about the twins? I asked you if it was mine and you said, 'No. _They _are _ours,_'" Sasuke explained.

"Oh… Sorry I blamed you. Stupid hormones."

"Hn."

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**End of Flashback**

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Finding out about the twins was shocking. He wakes up and the love of his life was not just pregnant, but with twins. It was one of the happiest days of his life.

The music sounded and the people in the pews rose to signify the presence of his oncoming bride.

Sakura looked absolutely beautiful in the western style wedding attire she had on. The dress form fitted well, and the baby fat she gained dropped like hot potatoes with the two and a half months after her pregnancy dedicated to a diet.

Yet, Sasuke didn't care. He had someone who truly loved him, two beautiful children and was happy. Very happy.

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The wedding went without flaws, as well as the reception.

The two were currently in a very large cottage about 4 miles away from the palace, in which they will spend a week for their honeymoon. Sakura excused herself to slip into something more comfortable.

Coming out in her small nightgown to find herself being stared at by her husband, she suddenly became self-conscious. This would be the first time they would make love since everything. The battle, the deaths, the pregnancy, but when Sasuke grabbed her, pulled her into his strong arms, and kissed her so sweet and soft, her doubts flew out the window.

Then the kiss got fiercer.

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It took the two only moments to lose their clothing and to be lying on their bed. Sasuke was nibbling Sakura's ear before he entered a finger in her core.

"Oh! Sasuke…" she moaned as the Uchiha thrusted the finger in and out, and then another.

Encouraged by Sasuke's desire to make their consummation pleasing for her, she decided that she would show what she overheard the servants talk about with their lovers. She was going to please her husband.

She moved Sasuke's hand from inside her, which confused the prince and he was even more puzzled when Sakura flipped their position.

"Sakura. What are you doing?" Sasuke asked, but only received a smirk from his wife.

Sakura kissed all the way down Sasuke's muscled chest till she reached his hard manhood. It stood with all its eight-inch glory, slightly red from the pressure of the blood.

"_Think of it as a popsicle. Lick it to taste the flavor…" _a maid's voice echoed through her mind, and she did take the tip in her mouth and Sasuke hissed in pleasure.

"_Then around it to mark that it's yours…" _then she licked the sides as Sasuke moaned loudly. This encouraged her to go to the finally step.

"_Then shove it down your throat to let the liquid hit your throat!" _the maid's voice echoed filled with laughter as she said it to her friends, knowing that you did **_not_** do that with a popsicle, but Sakura decided to do it.

She took a breath and deep throated her husband. After she bobbed her head for a moment, Sasuke released into her mouth, in which she could only swallow some of it. Sasuke must not have been prepared for the little display to have orgasm quickly, but he recovered and switched the two to their original positions.

"Now it's my turn," he whispered huskily into his wife's ear, before he trailed down to her breast.

He put his mouth on the soft mound carefully ignoring the somewhat tender nipples. They were his children's feed, not his delight. He licked the valley between her breast and trailed down to her belly button and back up again. Sakura could feel her husband's arousal poking her, hard once more after a mere minute from his orgasmic cool down.

Sasuke kissed Sakura with a hot and fiery passion as he plunged into her moist, heated core. He stilled to allow his wife the time to get used to the presence, but did not wait long as she pushed back. A fast and powerful rhythm was set rather quickly, but neither cared. They were enjoying themselves and filling out the other's desires.

The haunted past, dreaded royal meetings and the demands of the nation were put on hold. The twins were with their godparents, Naruto and Hinata, who were set to be married in a year. Kakashi was dealing with Sasuke's paper work. Though it took some time for Sasuke to agree, Neji would be handling the alliance settlement with the Mist Kingdom during the week. Everything that had been worried about was gone out of their minds, as Sasuke thrusted into his wife and she pushed back, because for now, they were making love and being with the other was all that mattered.

Soon, the two reached heaven's blinding door and floated right back down to their earth to hold and cuddle into each other's embrace. They lay in compatible silence before sleep caught up to them, leaving the other to their thoughts, but Sasuke had one question before he fell asleep.

"Sakura. How did you do it? The pain, loss, memories? How did you do it?" her husband asked.

Sakura thought about it for about ten seconds before she replied.

"A very wise woman gave me advice that will stay with me for a lifetime. The two words gave me my strength in my darkest hours." she said.

"What were they?"

"Remain Strong."

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**Pictures**

_Well, I have pictures of Sakura's and _Tamiko_'s dress if anyone actually wanted to see them. the link is on my profile.  
_

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**To those who read this like two years from now!!!**

_Don't be afraid to leave a review! I'd like to see how long it will be before no one is interested in this story. So leave a review :)_

_

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**Answers to questions:**

**1. Is it Sasuke's or Orochimaru's baby?**

_Sasuke's! It was Sasuke's! Please don't ask again! I made it all confusing for the drama and plot of the story. So for one last time...they are** Sasuke's babies**!_

**2. Will there be a sequel?**

**_No!_ **

**3. Why won't there be a sequel?**

_I'm too lazy to write one...(sweatdrop)_

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**Stats** (when finished)

Words: 26,848

Reviews: _234_

Hits: _26,149_

C2s: _9_

Favs: _77_

Alerts: _126_

Flames:_ 2_

_**Stats:** (10/20/09)_

_Words: 27,893_

Reviews: _345_

Hits:_ 70,647_

C2s: _17_

Favs: _202_

Alerts: _131_

Flames:_ 2_

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**Okay. Bye.**


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